


The Me I'm Meant to Be

by TheWritingDork, what_in_the



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: 'F' slur mention, Asexual Biromantic Jeremy Heere, Autistic Michael Mell, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Broadway Cast, College, F/F, Gun Violence, Karl is George's mall character in BMC Pt1 and Pt2, Karl is important to the plot, Kidnapping, M/M, Mafia Jeremy Heere, Memory Alteration, Mention of Child Grooming (Jeremy for Mafia Work), Mention of Sex for Information (Mafia Work), Mentioned Death of Minor/Unimportant Character(s), Michael works at a roller rink, Mind Control, Mind Manipulation, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Suicide Attempt (never attempted but almost attempted), Talking down the suicide attempt (and succeeding), The Mask from 'The Mask' movie, Video Game Logic, alcohol mention, anxiety attack, cartoon logic, mental manipulation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-01-27 04:14:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 105,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21385912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWritingDork/pseuds/TheWritingDork, https://archiveofourown.org/users/what_in_the/pseuds/what_in_the
Summary: Five years ago, Jeremy Heere went missing. No note, no trace and no witnesses. Michael was left to grieve but he never really moved on.Somehow, against all odds, Jeremy finds his way back into Michael's life but with one major difference: he's got no memory of who he was or where he came from. Oh yeah, and hes the most dangerous hitman in the country, possibly the world.Things only get worse when a weird mask shows up the same night Jeremy does, and Michael is launched into a zany adventure full of danger, romance, and, somehow, fun. When everything he cares about it put at risk, Michael will have to choose between the person he is and the person he can become. Question is, is that person willing to let him go?
Relationships: Christine Canigula/Brooke Lohst, Jake Dillinger & Jeremy Heere, Jake Dillinger/Rich Goranski, Jeremy Heere/Michael Mell, Michael Mell & Brooke Lohst & Rich Goranski, Michael Mell & Karl (Be More Chill), Michael Mell & Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 66





	1. Missing Person: Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari/TheWritingDork here (and michaelmellancholy on tumblr)!
> 
> This is a fic that combines a troupe that I think needs more attention (Mafia!AU) with one out of left field (The Mask Movie). It took me by surprise, but it allowed Mara and I to introduce a side character George Salazar gave life to in his instagram videos and such: Karl! He's the bedazzled and fancy mall character he plays during the mall scenes. If you listen to the Broadway Cast Album, the nasaly 'Everything about you sucks!' George sings is, in fact, Karl. But yeah, he plays an important part. ;3c
> 
> Mara and I sort of stockpile fics, and this fic was finished before Mara and I met at the end of July/start of August in NYC this year, so yeah, it's older. We wrote this after 'Mad Abuse' forever ago, so... yeah. Just some info there.
> 
> I'm just excited for this more mature fic for you guys read. This is definitely the most creative Mara and I have been, including emojis and links in the fic, so please be open-minded to this new format. Thank you guys so much!
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara/what_in_the (booglebug on tumblr)!:
> 
> 'Hey lovelies! This story I love for a number of reasons. Firstly I wrote it with Ari, which is my favourite thing to do :3 Secondly, I grew up watching the Mask, it's one of my all time favourite movies. Third, I've wanted to do a Mask AU ever since I first started writing fanfics years ago, but I could never come up with a proper plot for it. And finally, we did something very different. This was the first time I didn't get a Jeremy POV, so I had to stretch myself a little in terms of his characterisation and how he behaved. Ari did it in Mad Abuse with Michael, but this was the first time I had to do it. It was a fun challenge for me, and I hope you enjoy!'

He felt like he was suffocating. This had to be hell, it was the only reason any of this would make sense, at least to Michael.

Having to see Jeremy leave, promising he'd be back in half an hour at most with Apocalypse of the Damned. Never getting a text back from him. Calling him constantly and never getting an answer. Going to Jeremy's house to find that Mr. Heere had last saw him leave with the game.

Then the Missing Persons report. The flyers. The Amber alert. The small segments on the local news.

School without Jeremy. Graduating without Jeremy. Having boyfriends that weren't Jeremy (and they could never keep him happy for long, the longest lasting two semesters his freshman year of college).

All of it without his Player Two, each scene stabbing him deeper and deeper. All he wanted to do was scream and shout and just have Jeremy come back.

Why wouldn't he come back?

Why did he go missing?

Why?

Michael woke up suddenly, drenched and in a cold sweat. He was panting heavily, and he felt gross and icky (for more reasons than just the sweat). He gasped as he felt around on his bed, relief flooding him as he felt his red hoodie. Thank god, it didn't go missing like Jeremy did.

He needed to clear his head.

Michael grabbed some tissues from his bedside table and gave his face a quick wipe, then slipped on his hoodie and his glasses. It was cold out, but the best place to clear his head was at work, in the arcade section of the roller rink. Sure, it was closed, but Michael had the key and permission to go in whenever.

As he sat on the edge of his bed, Michael briefly considered what his life had become. Sure, he was doing alright for himself, he had good grades, a nice apartment with his friends, and a stable job which he actually enjoyed. And he’d somehow managed it without Jeremy. Five years was a long time to miss someone, but Michael had never really moved on.

Plus, it was around that time of year where Jeremy vanished. Almost to the anniversary... or was it the anniversary today? Ugh, no wonder he was getting so uncontrollably emotional.

He quickly scrubbed at his eyes roughly before standing up, sniffling as he tossed the tissues into the little trash can by his bed, pocketing his keys and wallet into his sweatpants pocket (along with his baggy of tokens). It was pretty late, he didn't want to accidentally wake Brooke or Ri-

And they were marathoning Kitchen Nightmares. Of course they were doing a late-night binge watch.

"Hey, what season are you guys on?" he asked as he padded along to head to the door where their shoe cubby resided.

“Season five,” Brooke replied. “Rich was getting all emotional, so I agreed to stay up with him for a bit longer.” She glanced over at him. “You headed to the arcade?” She knew him well enough to recognize his patterns by now.

"Yeah, I'll only be out for a few hours. If I'm not back by one in the morning, start to think about worrying." As he spoke, he slid on his white sneakers.

“Gotcha.” Brooke nodded and left it there. Rich, on the other hand, decided that he wanted to offer something too.

“You want company or is this a solo quest?” he asked. Rich had joined him and Jeremy right at the start of junior year in high school, and Jeremy had gotten him using video game terms in his normal vocabulary. Then Jeremy went missing and Rich never dropped the habit.

Michael let out a heavy sigh as he got his foot in the other shoe that decided to be stubborn. "Solo quest. Thanks though." He put in his headphones and unlocked the front door. "See you later," he said before walking out and shutting the door behind himself, heading down the stairs of their apartment as Glass Animals started playing in his ears.

Michael didn’t wear the hoodie much anymore, not because it didn’t fit, but because it held too many memories of Jeremy. It only came out during the period of mourning, as he called it. The few weeks before and after the anniversary of Jeremy’s disappearance five years ago. Both Jeremy’s dad and Michael got really emotional around this time, still clinging to the hope that he was alive and out there.

Michael was glad for the hoodie’s warmth. The winter winds were ice cold.

Since it was later and a weekday, there thankfully weren't as many people out for him to walk into as he walked down the streets to the rink. It was too close for the subway, it would've been a waste of his precious Seven-Eleven money. So he walked. The winds did help to take his mind off of Je- _no_, they were supposed to be helping.

As always, the cold did nothing to cut his thoughts. The pain of losing his best friend still just as sharp and a hundred times more cutting than any wind.

He missed Jeremy. He missed his best friend. And he’d do anything to bring him back, bring him home safe.

Michael knew he was out there, somewhere.

He wished he was already at the arcade so he could play claw machines until he forgot his pain for a bit.

As he made it to the bridge over one of the rivers, something bright and green caught his eye... Which was weird. All the grass died weeks ago.

Taking a quick detour because once he saw something out of place, he_ had _to check it out, he saw... a weird, green mask. And there was... a feeling coming from it. Michael couldn't tell what kind, which was normally a huge warning sign of a horror movie to get the hell away from it.

... But for some reason, he couldn't stop himself from grabbing it. Well, it looked old and super ancient, even if it held up well. Maybe he could sell it on eBay or something? Or get it checked out at the museum?... He really needed the money though…

Well, he'd decide later,_ after _the arcade run. He put the mask into his big zipper pouch he made in his hoodie, zipping it shut, before moving on.

Strangely, he barely felt the mask in his pocket; it was like it wasn’t even in there! Yet when he checked, it was still there and solid. Just another mystery to solve later.

Michael was getting close to the arcade when he thought he might have heard a strange sound. Just a vague _fpt_, then sound of someone hitting the ground. There was no one else around that Michael could see, just the roller rink up ahead where he worked. Was someone there?

Taking his key ring out, Michael was cautious as he took the hesitant steps towards the entrance. He made sure to turn his music off too as he (as silently as he could) unlocked the door and walked in.

The lights were on in scattered places as well as his boss' office. He saw the door slightly ajar and heard a voice coming from inside there... that wasn't his somewhat dick of a boss. Deciding to (more than likely) become that person who died in a horror movie for sure, Michael walked over, dead as the night.

“I don’t care if no one is listed!” A voice cut through the silence, startling Michael out of his self reflection of his own stupidity. “I want you to send the flowers to the next of kin or it’ll be _your_ wife receiving the next bunch, understand, asshole? Because believe me, you’re replaceable.” Shit shit shit shit shit.

It was a SQUIP, one of the main gang members for the mafia that operated in town. Michael must have stumbled into an operation, which meant_ he_ was going to be their next victim. Only one sent flowers. The most dangerous one.

Why did that voice sound familiar?

“Good, I’m glad you’re finally getting the bigger picture. Don’t fail me again, you’ll ruin my streak.”

As soon as the conversation lulled, presumably the call ending, Michael tried to backtrack and hightail it out of there. Unfortunately for him, one his boss’ stupid stacks of baseball cards was behind him, and the pile skid and fell to the floor, making an audible _skkkd_ in the otherwise silent room.

Shit.

Silence fell, then the rapid sound of footsteps. Michael was going to die, wasn’t he? The door flung open and the cold metal of the gun barrel pressed against his temple.

Jeremy glared down at him, face colder than the winds outside, no trance off recognition in his green-blue eyes.

No. No fucking way was this reality. He had hope that Jeremy was alive, but not as the most dangerous SQUIP. This was just another part of his fucked up nightmare, right?

But the chill was too real, his heartbeat was loud and real, and those eyes were too real and painful to be anything but fake.

The phrase ‘fight or flight’ ring a bell? Well, that was bullshit because Michael right then and there was living proof that there was a third option: freeze. He was frozen as he realized this was reality. Michael really wished it wasn’t. Why? Because then he’d at least be able to say _something_ before his former best friend of twelve years and crush blew his brains out.

Jeremy’s face was perfectly controlled, perfectly neutral. He didn’t seem to know Michael at all, and didn’t seem to care that he was about to kill him. It made sense, SQUIPs were trained killers after all. And Jeremy was supposedly the best.

Then, Jeremy’s perfectly neutral expression shifted. Just a small twitch, almost a frown, flashed across it. The smallest crease formed in his brow. Then he simply sighed and lowered the gun. What the fuck?

“There were no witnesses,” he growled, looking away from Michael. The gun didn’t get put away and the bloodstain seeping into the carpet behind him only grew.

Confusion only rose in him as his lack of survival instincts stayed in tact, keeping him frozen. He couldn’t help but take in a few more features as that confusion overtook him: the pristine suit Jeremy wore, his lack of glasses (did he have in contacts? Jeremy_ hated_ contacts), his taller height (still shorter by a good number of inches though).

“Whuh?”

The gun was brandished in front his face once again in a threatening manner. “I _said_ there were no witnesses. Take. The. Pass.” Jeremy’s voice was deeper, but still so similar to how he used to sound.

Michael’s body finally caught back up to everything before his mind did, doing the only reasonable thing: listening to Jeremy.

He booked it out of the roller rink, far away, his mind only catching up to what happened. Without thinking, he took his phone out and called nine-one-one, quickly reporting as a passerby that he thought he heard a gunshot from Rocky’s Roller Rink, hanging up once he was able to. By the time he did that, he was past the bridge and heard sirens in the distance.

The sound shocked Michael’s brain back into gear. What the fuck? Not only was Jeremy alive, he was the most dangerous SQUIP in the whole country. Michael knew, or rather heard, rumors that SQUIPs operated outside their usual area, taking out big money targets, but that was just hearsay, right? Had Jeremy actually been a trained assassin these last few years?

None of it made sense in his brain as he speed-walked back to his apartment, taking the stairs two steps at a time. The boost of adrenaline from everything was at least good enough to get him the fuck back in his safe bubble of his apartment at least.

He quickly unlocked the door, shutting it quickly behind himself as he hurried to get himself a glass of the weird replacement orange-flavored seltzer that was the only seltzer he could handle... and he got to break Brooke's La Croix addiction. Hey, he saw an article about how they were never tested and how they were banned in Massachusetts, he cared about his girl.

"Woah, you're back quick. Did you even get to _play _a round? Did Rocky kick you out tonight or something?" Rich asked from their small living room.

"Just decided to come back. Also, we're almost out of the Polar seltzer."

"It calls itself a Sparkling beverage. That means it’s a soda.”

"What the hell ever, Rich, it's basically seltzer, and I’m going to ignore that so I can feel good about drinking it, but it’s better ‘cause it doesn’t have the gross aftertaste,” Brooke chirped.

“I’m heading to my room. G’night guys.” Michael wasn’t in the mood to deal with them, didn’t think he_ could_ after what he’d seen. He hurried away, closing his door and sitting heavily on his bed, sipping at his drink.

Jeremy was alive. Jeremy was _alive_. And the fact he was a cold-blooded killer didn’t change the fact that he was alive, his heart was still beating. And he obviously had_ some_ compassion, since he didn’t kill Michael. _Jeremy _was _alive_.

The cold orange drink calmed him, and holding onto the cold glass helped as well. Eventually, he finished the drink and set the glass down at his table. He quickly kicked off his sneakers, put his keys, wallet, and token baggie on his desk along with the weird mask, and hesitated when it came to tugging off his hoodie.

His hands held onto the bottom of the hem, and his hand ran along the messily stitched-in 'J' that Jeremy put in when he first got it. He stitched a 'M' into the bottom hem of Jeremy's cardigan in return.

Michael decided to suffer while he slept in the form of sweat as he curled up in bed, under his covers, and let his hand brush past the 'J' a few times until the adrenaline wore off and sleep took him.

This time, he had no nightmares because _Jeremy was alive_.

The next morning left Michael confused. Why was he in the hoodie? It _always_ made him sweat to death when he wore it to bed (today was no exception, eugh). And why was his head hurting like something big had-

The green blur on the desk caught his eye. The mask. Suddenly everything came rushing back: the nightmare, finding the mask, the attack, _Jeremy_.

Jeremy was _alive_.

Michael couldn’t just go exclaiming this to the heavens, even if he really wanted to. He was the most dangerous SQUIP right now and didn’t seem to remember anything involving him. Which was a huge bummer, especially since he almost killed him last night. You know, just normal stuff.

Reaching over for his phone, Michael unplugged it and looked to see he had a missed call and a voicemail from Rosa, Rocky’s sister-in-law. He could easily figure out_ why_ she called, but he still unlocked his phone and listened to the voicemail as he tried to rub the sleep away from his eyes.

“_Hey, Michael,_” the voicemail began. “_I know it’s early but I need to catch you before you come to work. Don’t come in for the next two days at least, we’re gonna be closed and the whole rink is the scene of a police investigation. I...-_” Rosa sobbed a little. “_Rocky’s dead. Killed by a SQUIP last night. I knew he had some issues with gambling but I didn’t realize I was... so bad._” Another sob. “_You’ll still get paid something for these next couple of days, but we’re closed for... a while. I’ll call you to let you know when we know more._” The voicemail ended.

Even if the guy was a dick sometimes, Michael felt bad, not just for him but Rosa. Still, he couldn’t offer anything right now. He let out a groan as he pulled his phone back, quickly wiping the screen (sweat, ew) before checking the time.

OK, eight. He had a final tomorrow (fuck Friday finals) so he could get his mind off of things by studying, right? Yeah, he’d do that. It would be the best way to get his mind off of all of this bullshit.

As always, studying would have to be done on campus. Home had too many distractions and temptations, something Michael wasn’t necessarily the best at ignoring. He began packing up his stuff into his backpack, hoping that this would be a good enough distraction for his needs. He couldn’t think about J-

Nope, not going there.

He quickly packed everything he needed in his backpack and got changed as well (though he did quickly do a sweat wipe down with a towel so he could keep wearing his hoodie). Once done, he put his headphones in, started the same playlist from last night, and headed out. Thankfully, he could use the subway this morning, even if there would be a lot of commuters, so he wouldn’t have to face the bitter winds numbing his face.

Rich waved him off (Brooke had a morning final so she left early) and tossed him a Pop-Tart as he left so he wouldn’t miss breakfast.

The subway was crowded, as always, and as much as Michael hated it, he was used to it. Or well, he was normally used to it. He couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes on him, even though everyone was more concerned with their phones, tablets, and newspapers. Weird.

A hand touching his arm with some direct intent startled him. Looking over, Michael recognized the hand to belong to Derek, a guy from his Computer Studies class. He was nice, they’d partner up sometimes.

“Hey, Michael. You on your way to study for a bit?”

Michael let out a sigh and nodded, pausing his music. “Yeah, Ms. Nott is infamous for either giving really easy or really hard finals depending on her mood. I need to prep for the worse-case scenario.” He shifted a little with how he stood, turning to look at Derek. “You going to do the same?”

Derek sighed and his grin was a little bitter. “Yeah, but it’s more to get away from my dad. He’s been ranting about the new SQUIP attack and is determined to get my help. Me and Jenna _both _only just managed to escape with our sanity.”

“Your dad... he’s the chief of the police?” Derek nodded. “Oof, good luck with that. If you want, I can help distract you by studying with you for Nott’s final. And maybe we can get lunch near campus after?”

Derek beamed at him. “Sounds like a plan, my dude. I got some past papers we can go through together.” Any unease Michael had been feeling now vanished, replaced by the normal comfort of chatting to a friend. He was just paranoid and jumpy after last night, that was it.

Michael happily studied with Derek for a few hours with some breaks in between. By the time they finished their study session with confidence, it was well past one and time for them to eat lunch. They stopped by one of the many diners (this one was a favorite to both of them, so woo) and settled in to eat.

Michael sipped at the lemonade he ordered as he let out a heavy sigh. “I can’t wait for the break.”

Derek chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “I can. It’s weeks with _just _my family around and no excuse is good enough. I love them, but god if they’re overbearing. I _am_ excited for my little trip south to visit my mom near the end, though. She and my brother said we might go camping.”

“Well that sounds really fun. I hope you guys can do that and have fun,” Michael told him as he shifted to rest his head in his crossed arms. “I gotta stay here, my moms have a business trip for part of the break and I need to work. We’re gonna celebrate the holidays later on anyway, we did that last year.”

“That sounds pretty-what’s the word I always hear you use? Rad?” Derek snorted.

“Hey, fuck off, it’s a great word,” Michael insisted around a huff. “Maybe you should add it into your daily vocabulary and see how great it is.”

Derek threw back his head and laughed and Michael took a moment to just appreciate how attractive his friend was. The windswept curls, the deep, smooth voice, and the killer personality? Derek had it all. Even if Michael wasn’t looking for a boyfriend right then, he was gay and lonely. He was allowed to appreciate.

“Maybe I will, dude. We’ll just have to see.”

“We will, and I’m sure once you try it for real, you’ll realize it’s too late. You’ll want to play retro games, binge Stranger Things purely for the eighties aesthetic, and will crave old soda.” Michael couldn’t help but smile as he took a sip from his drink. “Or you’ll at least find a new appreciation for how some words from the eighties are still usable and have withstood the test of the past few decades. Either or.”

Derek laughed again. “I’ll be sure to let you know if I become a pan version of you.” He poked Michael in the shoulder.

“Thank you, I need to know how well my influence spreads,” Michael muttered out before poking Derek back in the shoulder.

Michael and Derek continued chatting, with Derek jokingly testing out the words Michael suggested, when something seemed to change around them. Michael got another intense feeling of being watched, but when he looked around, he didn’t see anyone looking at him or anyone he recognized.

Derek shivered a little after a moment too. “Dude, do you feel that?” he muttered. “It’s like someone is giving me a death stare.”

“I mean, I don’t feel_ that_ exactly, but I feel like someone’s staring at me too,” Michael muttered out as he ate some of fries he ordered to come before their meals. “Maybe someone’s just jealous of your good looks, my dude.”

Derek wrinkled his nose a little and grinned charmingly. “Aww, you think I’m good-looking,” he teased. He was obviously making an effort to ignore the uncomfortable atmosphere that had settled around them. His little glance around obviously didn’t give any insight, since he just turned back to Michael.

“You objectively and subjectively are, so... it’s more me making a likely observation,” Michael said back with a small smile, shrugging as he tried to glance around again with no luck. Instead of trying to worry, he ate another few fries.

The rest of the meal passed without the uncomfortable feeling vanishing, and Michael couldn’t put it down to sheer paranoia anymore. Derek was just as uncomfortable. They still did their best to not focus on it. Lunch was fun despite it.

The discomfort faded somewhat once then headed back to study, even if the feeling of being watched didn’t. Michael had almost become used to it by that point.

By the time they were done studying, Michael felt ready for his final tomorrow. He thanked Derek for spending the day with him, saying goodbye until tomorrow, and headed back on the subway (Derek had some other things to do, so he was alone). The discomfort and unease wasn’t as bad on the subway ride for some reason. Maybe he was just overthinking things.

“Hey, I’m back,” Michael called out as he made it back to his apartment, the door open as he kicked off his shoes and stepped in.

“Hey Mell!” Rich called. He was still in his Subway uniform, so he couldn’t have been home for long. “How was the study? Ready for tomorrow?” Rich asked as he tossed his cap up onto the coat rack by the door.

"Yeah, it was good." Michael purposefully swatted his hand so the cap didn't land on one of the pegs before walking by Rich in the kitchen. "I'm as ready as I can be. What's the plan for dinner, by the way, Bi?"

“Nothing for you, since you may have ruined my hat.” Rich pouted before turning back to the kitchen. “I’m making chicken tikka masala. I prepped the chicken before work so it’s been marinating in those spices for a few hours.”

  
"I didn't ruin your hat, and you have, like, three of those at this point," Michael pointed out as he dropped his backpack onto the small table they had to eat at. "And ooo. If you don't let me have that, I will absolutely slaughter you. There better be some good na'an with that."

“Homemade using your Mama’s recipe.” Rich nodded proudly. “I got the stuff on the way home. So I’ll be making that up at the same time. Dinner should be in... two hours? Something like that.”

"Hell yeah. If you need any help. Mr. Sandwich Ar_tist_, let me know. I'm gonna decompress otherwise from studying," Michael told Rich, smiling over at him before going into his room and flopping down on his bed.

As his head hit the pillow, he heard something strange. Like the crinkling of paper. Further investigation revealed a note, covered in Jeremy’s familiar, spidery handwriting. His heartbeat sped up in fear as he read it.

‘_Michael,_

_I see my choice to spare you wasn’t a waste of my time and I thank you for that fact. Since you have not reported me or my appearance to the police, I can assume you won’t, and that I can allow your continued existence without alerting my colleagues. _

_As I’m sure you’re aware, I am in fact the head SQUIP, the highest ranking member of the SQUIP organisation, second only to the boss. Normally seeing me in a job would result in an instant and painless death, but you’ve intrigued me. I would very much like to see where this leads and as such, I will be in contact eventually. Report this to anyone and you will find it will be the last thing you do._

_Signed,_

_SQUIP lvl 574_’

Well shit.

Michael quickly folded the note back up, tucking it under his pillow but within the pillowcase (he found it in the pillowcase so back to once it came). He had to take a few deep breaths as he calmed and recollected himself.

Tell anyone about Jeremy and he'd be dead. Well, good thing he hadn't told anyone already...

But Jeremy was going to eventually contact him, as the note said... Which meant he had easily snuck into his apartment and left that note undetected... And he used his paper and his favorite pen. Rude, all things considered.

Still, he couldn't help but let out a tired laugh, running his hands roughly over his face to keep himself from panicking right away. It wasn't healthy to bury down a possible attack of any kind, but he was stressed and had been mourning twenty-four hours ago and found out said person he was mourning was alive, the biggest SQUIP,_ and_ that he would kill him if he said anything about his existence.

Just his fucking luck.

Still, Jeremy had said he was intrigued for some reason. The note certainly indicated that he didn’t know Michael at all, but maybe something was pushing through. Maybe this really was a chance to get Jeremy back. Maybe Michael could do this and _not_ wind up dead.

The rest of the week, Michael kept thinking about the note. He kept it under his pillow and in the pillowcase, it sticking into the back of his mind during his final (which was so easy, thank god), when he went back to work Monday morning, and up until the point that he was walking to the museum in town.

During the past week, he sometimes felt like he was being watched, which was probably Jeremy. He felt it less and less over the week, so Michael either got used to it or Jeremy kept basically stalking him less and less. More than likely, it was the latter. Ugh. Michael also felt interest to the mask over the past week, deciding that he wanted to get it checked before he decided to sell it.

So here he was, walking to the museum downtown, his red hoodie on and the mask back in his zipper pocket. It was still so weird how it felt like it wasn't even there. It set off his anxiety and doubts, and he kept checking a few times in a row on it before forgetting about it for another five minutes. Any passerby had to think he was insane.

“You know, a bunch of people are probably gonna think you’re crazy with how often you’re checking your pockets,” a voice called from above. Michael spun and looked up, seeing Jeremy sitting in a tree next to him. “That, or that you have like, a kitten or something in there.” He hopped down from the branch nimbly, landing next to Michael. He was in a light grey suit and a lavender shirt, looking very stylish.

"Maybe I _am_ crazy," Michael echoed as he shut his zipper pocket before sticking his hands into his front pocket. "Aren't people going to think you're crazy for not having another jacket on or for hopping down a tree?" Why the hell was he being so calm? Maybe because he sounded at least a _little_ like the Jeremy he knew and grew up with instead of a freaking assassin. Or maybe his nerves were so fried after the past week of paranoia that he didn't care anymore. Maybe he _was _crazy.

Jeremy actually arched an eyebrow and sort of smiled. Like, he looked genuinely amused. “Maybe _I’m_ crazy too. But people also only notice what they want to. You didn’t see me up that tree until I spoke, did you? And people would think we know each other, so I’m just a friend spooking another friend.” He grinned. He... he really didn’t seem anything like that scary assassin he’d seen on Wednesday night. He seemed like Jeremy. It made Michael’s heart hurt.

“So, you did the smart thing and didn’t tell anyone. I have to say, I’m actually rather glad for that fact. You’re interesting and it would be a waste to kill you,” Jeremy mused. And there was the assassin again.

"Yeah, I'd say it would be a waste to kill me, that definitely wouldn't be fun," Michael said with a somewhat nervous smile as he kept walking. Well, could he still go get the mask checked out while Jeremy talked with him? What did he even want to do with Michael anyway? "And how am I so interesting, hm? I don't think a gay, single college kid working at a roller rink to help pay rent sounds at _all_ interesting."

“I have my reasons,” Jeremy replied mysteriously as he kept pace with Michael. Then he frowned a little, like he was confused. “Most of them I’ll keep to myself, but I’ll share one with you now. When I was about to do it, you didn’t look scared or upset. You looked... almost happy. Now, I don’t like killing people who aren’t part of my sets, but when someone looks happy with a gun to their head, well that makes me curious.” He looked over at Michael, arching an eyebrow again. “So, Mr. Mell, why _did_ you look like that with a gun to your head?”

"Well, I have my reasons as well. I'll keep most to myself, but I'll tell you that I had no idea that I looked almost happy when I had a gun put to my head. Maybe I was looking forward to the sweet embrace of death and the freedom from debt and the possibility of future anxiety and panic attacks," Michael offered back, giving the best cheeky smile he could. He tried not to think on how he had somehow piqued the interest of the most dangerous assassin or how Jeremy knew his last name. After all, as he already knew, Jeremy was the most dangerous assassin That explained how he knew in of itself, along with the note and the feeling of being watched.

Jeremy actually laughed at that, the sound so familiar to how he used to sound. It reminded Michael of nights in his basement, getting high and playing video games and daring each other with stupid challenges. It was a nostalgic sound. “I like you, Michael.” Jeremy‘s grin suggested that it wasn’t a normal occurrence. “I guess that means I ought to introduce myself to give us at least a_ little_ friendliness. I’m Jeremy.” He stuck out his hand to the side so Michael could shake it.

"Well, you already know who the hell I am, but I'll at least_ formally_ introduce myself," Michael said as he stuck his hand out, hesitating for a second before taking Jeremy's and shaking it. "Michael Mell. Nice to know the person who has probably been stalking me for the past week thanks to the note, chills, and this whole interaction."

“I could get in serious trouble for leaving you alive.” He didn’t sound worried. “And beyond that, I could get in even worse trouble for actually interacting with someone who’s not part of whatever mission I have. As in, getting myself killed sort of trouble. That’s why I spent my free time this week checking to see if you’re worth the risk.”

"Good to know I'm worth the risk." Michael let out a heavy sigh, trying to not let everything like all the anxieties and worries hit him like a truck in the middle of the street. Yeah, lunch detour would hopefully help. "Since I'm so worth the risk, do you wanna risk lunch too or is that too much for now?"

“Lunch sounds great. I’ll buy, where do you wanna go?” Jeremy beamed, as if that was honestly what he was hoping for. Weird. “Oh, and here.” He handed Michael a butterscotch sweet. “Sucking on that might help with the anxiety stuff. I know it helps me.” So he still had anxiety?

"I'd ask how you knew about that, but I'm afraid of what you'd tell me," Michael said as he unwrapped the candy and stuck it in his mouth. The taste was melancholy. The last time he had one was when Jeremy was around. He found that the candy helped him in the ninth grade and would sometimes give it to Michael if he seemed really anxious. "And we can either go to a nice diner that has amazing sandwiches and breakfast or to a pub with great burgers, chicken, and fries."

“I know a place.” Jeremy nodded. “Also I know about the anxiety because you’re practically radiating it, dude. Rightly so and all that, but it’s not so hard to spot.” He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything so long as you’re not stupid. Like I said, I like you.”

"Some people think I'm a constant ball of stupidity, so I'm surprised you haven't done anything yet," Michael joked before sucking a bit more on the candy. Even if it tasted sad, Michael forgot how much it helped…

“Wrong sort of stupidity, Michael,” Jeremy chortled. He guided Michael around a corner and started leading the way a little. “Y’know, you seem almost nonplussed about this whole thing, despite the anxiety. You’re like, really chill, all things considered. It’s a nice change, if I’m honest.”

"Well, I'm sort of repressing the big, scary aspects of all of this so I _don't_ freak out and become very much not chill, you know? Otherwise I'd probably have a breakdown in the middle of the street and one person _might_ come over and ask if I'm alright if it's a good day," Michael admitted as he followed alongside Jeremy.

“Fair enough.” Jeremy stopped outside a cozy looking pub. “In here’s got the best burgers I can remember having, so hopefully it’s up to your high standards.” The pub had a really weird name, the Moose and Banana, but it looked cozy and honestly just really warm inside.

"My standards are fairly low, you should know this if you've been watching me," Michael told him as he looked up at the pub. "The weird name already has me hooked."

“It’s a family run thing. I helped them get started up a few years ago, so we get discounts here.” He grinned, beckoning Michael inside.

As expected, it was warm and the best sort of cozy inside. There were plush but worn armchairs by a roaring fireplace, old wooden tables, and the bar itself was clean and polished, but had a little bit of personality. In fact, the whole place did. It felt soft and fun.

A man was behind the bar, polishing a glass when he spotted them. “Jeremy! It’s so good to see you! And you’ve brought a friend for once!” he cried happily, setting down the glass and pulling out two menus. “Please, take a seat anywhere.”

“Hey, James. Thanks. And yeah, this is my new friend. Thought I’d show him the old place, since we were nearby.” Jeremy grinned, taking the menu and heading over to a table a little ways from the fire.

Michael thanked the man as he took his menu and went to sit down with Jeremy. He rolled up his hoodie sleeves once they got settled and glanced around, seeing there were a few patrons currently eating or talking. "I... How and why did you decide to get this place started up? It seems a... uh... a bit out of your job responsibilities to do this and not within your realm of interest."

“James is family to one of my handlers. I knew he’s always wanted to start up a pub, and it turned out one of my contracts happened to own this building. I was fond of him, so I just did a little special organisation and got ownership. From there, it was easy to give him the place and give him a cut of the payment so he could start up.” Jeremy’s tone was surprisingly gentle, and he sounded honestly like he really did like James. It seemed like the most dangerous SQUIP also had a soft side.

Well, it made sense. Jeremy always did have a softer side, though not everyone got to see it. "Well that's really sweet. I'm sure that most people who would find that out would try to put you in a weak light or some stupid bullshit, but that... it is really sweet and nice. Good to know you have a soft side underneath that suave, frightening exterior, you know?"

“I’m only that for the job.” Jeremy sighed. “That’s not who I am, even if it’s what everyone wanted me to be. The whole reason I actually started liking James in the first place was because he never once tried to make me someone I’m not.”

Oh. "Well, I mean... I get that, I guess? If I think about your situation, I can at least understand it. And you don't have to worry about me ever doing that, at least." Michael gave the best smile he could. "Not like a chubby couch potato like me can do much to begin with, but yeah."

Jeremy’s smile seemed almost surprised, but it still made Michael’s insides flutter a little. It had been years since he’d seen that look and it still affected him exactly the same.

“Thanks, Michael,” he murmured.

“Oh, are you getting sentimental again, Jeremy? You old softie, I swear.” James came over with a grin and a notepad, poking Jeremy’s shoulder with his pen. Jeremy swatted at the offending hand, grinning himself now.

“Oh shut up, Jamie.”

“So what can I get you boys? And don’t worry, Jere, I got you covered. No ID needed since you’re still underage.” James winked.

Jeremy rattled off an order with a burger and some fries, as well as a cocktail of some description. It wasn’t a common one Michael had ever heard of.

Michael ordered himself a burger and some fries as well, thanking James as he handed him over the menu. "Oh, and then just a lemonade as well. Thanks again." He internally frowned though because both himself and Jeremy were of age to drink. His birthday was just two weeks ago... Did he not even know when his birthday really was?

“What'cha thinking about there, Michael?” Jeremy asked, leaning his head on one hand. “Doesn’t seem to be a normal kind of thought. Less fun, by the looks of things.”

He looked up from the point he was staring at, which was the corner of the table that seemed to be chipped. "How do you know what kinda thoughts I'm even thinking? I could be thinking of the gayest shit right now and be having a blast mentally."

“You were frowning, dude. Also, I’m trained as reading micro-expressions. Unless you’ve been specially trained, I can usually get something from your face.” Jeremy chuckled.

"Mm, sounds like fun," Michael muttered out before fiddling with the hem of his hoodie. "Just... you don't look like you're underage. Like, you at least look twenty-one or twenty-two. How old are you?"

“Dunno.” Jeremy shrugged. “I was told I was fifteen when I woke up. So by my own reckoning, I’m twenty.” He didn’t seem bothered by that fact. If he’d only ever known that life, it was understandable why he wasn’t.

"Though you... you know that you've probably been lied to with most everything since you woke up at fifteen and was trained to be an assassin... If my understanding of the situation is right. Right?"

“Oh for sure.” Jeremy nodded as James came back with their drinks. “I know I was someone before all this, that I probably had a life and a family. Hell, maybe even a date-mate of some kind. But when I try to look back, _poof,_ nothing there. Just waking up.” He sort of half flailed the little umbrella from his cocktail around as he spoke. It was cute. “But I’ll find out eventually. I’ve got some clues, and I’ve finally got enough freedom to actually do my own searching now. Just because I’ve got this job doesn’t mean it was by choice.”

"I mean, I would think most fifteen year olds wouldn't _actually_ want to become Agent Forty-Seven from the Hitman games," Michael said with a smile and a shrug before he took his lemonade and tasted it. "Mm, perfect amount of sweet with a tangy and somewhat bitter aftertaste. Oh, uh, back to the main topic, sorry... What kind of clues do you have? And it took you until _now _to have enough freedom to do research on yourself? Damn."

“I’ve got some stuff from my old life,” Jeremy replied. “Just some small things. But... I hardly think we’re familiar enough for me to share those yet.” His smile turned a little rueful, almost. “But yeah, only now. You see, I worked my way to the top so no one besides the boss can question me or have anything done to me. If anyone else follows me or digs through my stuff or whatever and I catch them? I’m allowed to kill them. Rules of the SQUIPs. It used to happen a lot, now it’s only every few months.”

Well god _damn_. "Well... At least you have your freedom to go look into that," Michael offered with a small smile and nervous shrug. "Do you think you'll ever figure it all out and get out of the whole killing business?"

“Oh, I plan to. As soon as I possibly can.” Jeremy snorted. “But it’ll take a lot to get me out of it. Either the organisation has to crumble somehow, or I become the new boss and disband it myself. But as soon as it’s an option, I’m not gonna be touching the whole business again. It’s nasty stuff.”

"Well that's good. Do you... do you have any idea on what you wanna do after?" Why was he asking this, damnit? Because he was scared of losing Jeremy again, duh.

“Find the people who used to matter to me. See if I can still matter to them... Go _home_, wherever that is.” He sighed. “Live life, move past this whole chapter, and never touch it again. I just want to... forget about it, even for a while.”

Right then, Michael wanted to tell Jeremy so badly that he was one of those people, that he still mattered to Michael... But it didn't feel right. With everything Jeremy was in right now and how he didn't even remember him... Would he even believe it? Would Jeremy consider this to be 'stupid?' He couldn't take that risk, not right now at least.

"Well at least you have ideas and goals." Still, he needed to know... "Along the topic of after this... Well, maybe it's related or not but it popped up again in my head. Well, it's been popping up a lot this past week, but especially this past half an hour or so... Why are you so interested in me besides the fact I smiled like a weirdo when you had a gun to my head?"

Jeremy sighed heavily again and took a long drink from his cocktail. “You know what? Why not? Might as well ruin my reputation further, since you’re cute.” He shot Michael a weak grin before gesturing to Michael’s hoodie with his glass. The bright blue liquid sloshed a little in it, but didn’t spill. “Your hoodie. It’s familiar somehow. And just... I couldn’t do it. For some reason, even the idea of shooting you felt wrong like nothing else did. I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger.”

Wait... Jeremy thought he was cute? And his hoodie was familiar... So not everything was completely wiped away from his brain. That was good, really good. "Well shit, you're coming on a bit strong. But, uh... Wow. Good to know all that, good to know. Not what I was expecting-" What_ had _he been expecting? "-and... yeah." He pulled down his sleeves then and looked them over. "What about this hoodie is familiar to you?"

“The patches.” Jeremy took another sip of his cocktail, cheeks heating up with something other than alcohol. Was Jeremy _flustered_? “Especially the ‘J’ in the corner... I have... I have something similar on one of my things.” He looked away as he set down his drink. “And I hardly think calling you cute is coming on strong. That’s just a statement of fact.” That was as close to a grumble as Michael had heard from Jeremy since talking to him. He _was_ flustered!

"No one _ever_ calls me cute, that is coming on strong for me, mister," Michael said with a cheeky grin before pulling up the bottom of his hoodie to look at the hem. "So this 'J' here is similar to something on one of your pieces of clothing, I'm guessing. And the patches, well, they're little pieces of me that I'm showing to the world. Think you had a very gay, very weird, very retro person in your life before this?"

Jeremy shrugged. “Who knows? All I know is that they’re familiar somehow, directly or not. Maybe I just had a friend who wore a jacket with lots of patches. Or maybe _I_ owned one. For all I know, all my clothes could have been covered in them.” He chuckled and leaned back in his chair, obviously relaxing again. “And as for the J... yeah, I have something similar on a cardigan. It got a little beaten up, so I can’t tell exactly what letter it was supposed to be, I have my suspicions, but my handler saved it when I first came in.”

"What are your suspicions, Mr. Detective? Or am I not at a high enough friendship level to unlock those secrets?" Michael asked as he leaned forward a bit at the table. He couldn't help but relax. It was weird and off compared to how it was before, years ago, but it was like they were... _them_ again. Back to chatting and having a blast. He had to be positive and funny and comedic so it wouldn't hurt as much.

Jeremy grinned. “Not yet you’re not, but keep being a cutie and you might just charm it out of me eventually. If you do want to keep seeing me, that is. I did kinda force my way in, I’ll force my way out if you’d rather not associate with me after this one meeting.” He sounded genuine about that offer too. Wow, Michael had misjudged SQUIP Jeremy by a long shot. He wasn’t as much of an ass as he pretended to be.

"Well, now that you don't have me at gunpoint and we're getting to sit and talk, I think that I'm definitely likely to wanna keep you here. Maybe I am crazy." He was for sure, but Michael honestly could give less of a shit at that point. Michael wanted Jeremy back and he got him... but not the way either of them would have wanted to. Still, it was something!

Their meals arrived and Jeremy handed Jamie some crisp twenty dollar bills. James looked shocked at the amount but Jeremy insisted that he take the lot before getting to eating. James shook his head fondly and headed over to the register to ring it up.

“So, Michael, what brings you out today? You’ve not got work today and your classes are finished for this semester. Surely today would be the day to sit around and game or something?”

"Oh, just some errands that popped into my head that I needed to get done." Well, he wasn't wrong there. Michael ate a few fries before adding, "Plus, I wanted to get myself snacks after I finished what I need to do up so I could properly game and lounge."

“Has it got something to do with whatever’s in your pocket?” Jeremy asked after finishing his mouthful of burger. “The thing you kept checking on that was making you look anxious and crazy.” His tone was light and teasing, so much like how he used to sound.

"I mean, that's _one_ of the things," Michael said with a shrug. "It's weird and I wanna get it checked out. And hey, I thought we agreed I was anxious at the time. Crazy is still debatable."

“You can be both,” Jeremy pointed out, his grin cheeky. “Can I see? I’m pretty good with antiques and things of historical and monetary value. I might be able to give you a rough idea of what it is.”

Well, it wasn't like he had anything to lose. "OK, because if it isn't worth the time, I'm not gonna go there. If it's not worth shit, I'm gonna try hyping it up on eBay for someone to use for a cosplay or costume or something," Michael said as he unzipped his pouch, reaching in. It was still so weird how he didn't feel it at all until he came in contact with it.

He took it out and handed it over to Jeremy then. "Any clue?"

Jeremy’s gaze turned harsh and he pushed the mask back over to Michael quickly. “Put that away, quick. We... shit, this isn’t good.” He sounded genuinely worried as he glanced around.

"What? I just found this washed up near one of the bridges in town," Michael said as he put it back into his pouch, zipping it up at Jeremy's insistence.

“It’s something my boss is after. You’re lucky no one else here is a SQUIP or you’d be dead by now. Or everyone else would be, because hell if I’m letting anyone shoot you,” he grumbled a little before turning serious again. “When you get home, you gotta lock that up and keep it that way. I... I have to tell him. I can’t go against that. But I can keep you safe. But if you gave that away, you’re gonna get yourself killed, same if you show the wrong people.”

"But... It's just a dinky-looking mask." Michael quickly glanced down at the pouch pocket before looking back at Jeremy. "I mean, I'm not going to_ not _take your word for it, and it's sweet that you wanna keep me safe, but... This whole situation is surreal and I don't know why I'm not freaking out as much as I know I should be. I know I can be distant sometimes to normal social cues and shit, but this is more distant than normal."

“Honestly, neither do I. ASD doesn’t explain this level of distance.” He wasn’t about to ask how Jeremy knew about his autism. “What I_ do_ know is that mask is very valuable to certain people. They believe it’s magic or something, so we can’t let them get it. My boss included, if possible. I have no choice but to tell him, but we’re gonna keep it from him for as long as possible, okay? I’ll keep you safe from any threats, and I promise I’ll come up with something.”

Instead of argue about this or do anything considered normal in terms of reacting, Michael just nodded and took a sip of his lemonade. Was it the guilt? The want for Jeremy to stay? His paranoia making him crazy? All of the above? He had no clue and it was really bugging Michael as he finished his glass. "I mean, magic? Really? I've had a lot of weird shit happen to me and magic seems the least likely, you know?"

“No one said crimes bosses were sane.” Jeremy snorted. “All that matters is that he believes it, which makes him dangerous.” Jeremy sighed and finished off the last bite of his burger. “So long as it’s just us who know, you’re safe. And I can convince my boss to let me be the one to ‘extract’ it, and I’ll be sure to do it in such a way to make sure you come out safe on the other side. We just have to play our cards right.” A pause. “Finish off your food, you need to get home with that thing. I’ll finish of whatever other errands you need to run.”

“If it’s that bad, I can just take it to go. I’m a slow eater,” he said before gesturing to his burger, a fourth eaten, and his plate that still had half of the fries left. “Just... tell me what I need to do so I _can _play this right with you. I don’t wanna be like the person in a group project who has one job and then fucks the whole thing up for everyone.”

“Don’t tell anyone you have it,” Jeremy started, pointing at Michael with a fry. “Keep it locked in a box. And whatever you do, don’t put it on. I’ll play my side so we can see each other soon and I can sort this out a bit better.” He waved over James, who took Michael’s food to go and box it up for him. “Sound doable?”

“I don’t know if I have any boxes, you might need to get one for me, but otherwise it sounds more than doable,” Michael reassured him as he took Jeremy’s fry and ate it. He realized after what he did and did his best to look apologetic. Even if SQUIP Jeremy wasn’t an ass, he wasn’t _his_ Jeremy. He had to relearn, adapt. “Sorry-“

Jeremy burst out laughing, the tension breaking in an instant. “I had that coming, didn’t I?” He giggled. “I’ll sort out the box, as well as whatever snacks you were gonna pick up. Anything else you want me to get?”

“A stable mental state, a pay raise, a cheaper rent- oh shit, you meant things that you could buy.” Thank god he could mess around and do that. He was more like his Jeremy than he thought. “Uh, you’ve probably seen my typical Seven-Eleven run, so that stuff.”

Jeremy snorted. “If you _really_ wanted, I could get you two out of three of those things, but I doubt you’d approve of how I did it.” He was grinning and clearly joking. James brought back the food with a small smile and offered Michael a small coupon.

“Any friend of Jeremy’s is welcome here. Just show the staff this if I’m not around and you can get a discount.” Before Michael could properly process, James was gone again.

“He likes you,” Jeremy noted with a grin.

"I don't know what I did to get him to like me but hell yeah, discount food. I will definitely be here way more often now," Michael said as he tucked the coupon away into the safety of his wallet. "But uh... Before I go, is there anything else I need to know? Anything else I need to tell you or you need to tell me?"

“Not that I can think of. After dropping off the stuff, I’ll be heading to the club for the rest of the night, so I won’t be around again until tomorrow at the earliest. Just... don’t take any unnecessary risks. Even if I try to be, I can’t be around all the time to save you.”

"Glad to know I have the Stitch version of a guardian angel there to look out for me." Michael gave Jeremy a smile, though he wasn't sure exactly what it looked like. "You be careful too. You have that dream you're looking forward to."

Jeremy’s cheeks went dark as his eyes widened a little. Had Michael’s small comment really affected him that much? “Er... thanks, Michael. See you later. Stay safe.” With that, Jeremy stood and slipped out the door.

Fiddling with the plastic bag that his food came in, Michael stared at the door Jeremy left through a few seconds longer. A few things crossed his mind, including some worries, concerns, and his own theories about a few things. But one thing stuck out to him, and he couldn't help but smile at one thought in particular as he waved to James and left as well.

Jeremy was alive and still cared for him.


	2. Karl's Fanfic Debut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> We introduce some more elements in this chapter that are crucial to the rest of the story... Karl would be ashamed of me if I didn’t say that. 
> 
> FYI, here’s a link to a pic of Karl (He’s George in the bowlcut-esque wig): https://images.app.goo.gl/yebJdSVUTby2NNmH7
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara:
> 
> ‘Hey lovelies! So now, Michael has the mask, Jeremy is back in his life and everything is getting intense. Michael really deserves to blow off some steam right? And maybe get a chance to woo Jeremy, who is certainly shaping up to be boyfriend material (if you ignore the whole hitman thing). Enjoy!’

As he had promised, Jeremy had stopped by at Michael’s apartment a few hours after he got home, bringing him a bag full of Seven-Eleven snacks as well as a few small extras that Michael was really appreciating. Especially the can of Ecto Cooler which he had been meaning to pick up today.

Jeremy had been perched out on the fire escape outside Michael’s room, and he’d only realized Jeremy was out there when he knocked on the window. Jeremy gave him the bags, and handed him the box.

“Make sure you lock it away properly,” he had warned.

Michael was now staring at said box, unable to look away. Surely it wasn’t that bad. It was a mossy, wooden mask for fucks sake, not some nuclear bomb. How could it be dangerous? And... Jeremy was busy tonight. He’d never know if Michael took it out for a _little_ while. Right?

Hey, Jeremy had told him not to use it, he basically used reverse psychology on him. That was his reasoning that he went with as he took the key from his bedside table and walked over to the box. He quickly undid the lock, taking it off and opening the lid as he stared down at the neon green-esque mask. He'd just put it on for a sec then take it off. He'd be_ fine_-

Michael picked it up and flipped it over, with the intent to just hold it up to his face, look in the mirror and put it back. Except as he got close it seemed to almost... suck itself towards him.

In a panic, he pulled back, seeing nothing different with the mask. It... must have been his paranoia again, that was it. He was _imagining_ that whole almost magical thing.

He pulled the mask on quickly this time.

The world started spinning as what felt like a mini lightning storm crashed through his room. He stood still as the world around him moved and shook and- okay, maybe_ he_ was the one moving!

Then it stopped and he was faced with the strangest thing he’d ever seen. A character creation screen. The mask was stuck to his face and he was looking at a copy of himself, with stats off to the side and with a green face. How fucking weird.

"Well... that mask had to have been laced with something," Michael muttered out as he looked over his 'creation' before switching through a few options. None of them clicked for some reason, and it was weird. Why didn't looking at himself click?

Eventually, he settled on a lighter brown swooped-bang hair style, sunglasses, a rich purple suit, and a weirdly designed black top. Somehow, it felt_ right_.

He looked up at the name generator then, and when he tried to type in 'Michael,' it wouldn't let him enter. "Well, if the damn authors won't let me use my _own_ name, I guess I'll just have to use another..." Wait... "What the hell? Ugh, whatever." His fingers worked quick, as if they had a mind of their own, and he was staring back at his own character.

There stood Karl.

Over to the side, he looked at the 'Accept and Play' button that was lit green. Well... he was ready.

So he hit it.

The world started spinning again, so Karl started spinning with it. Eventually it stopped and he grinned. At who, it wasn’t clear.

“At you, hun.😘”

(Mara): Oh, umm. This hasn’t happened before... Just don’t mess with us too much, Karl.

“No promises!”

And like that, Karl entered the scene. And decided to go and have a night on the town. After all, he deserved it, not to mention there was a cute brunette just_ waiting_ to be snatched up at the club.

(Ari): Just as long as he doesn't mess with everything _too_ badly and with _us_, things should be fine for... well, not everyone, but most everyone.

Pushing the narrators to the side and focusing on the now (because he was there and he deserved the TLC and attention), Karl grinned and shook himself out, much like a wet dog. "Well, it's finally time to get someone that I want and, more importantly, deserve-"

"Michael, turn your fucking game vo-" There stood Brooke, poor little Brookie Cookie, with a mug of hot cocoa as she was in her jammies. She took in Karl (seriously, who wouldn't wanna?) and was in shock. "Wh- who- where's Michael-"

Instead of answering her (because why would he need to? It was _obvious_!), he darted forward and pressed a kiss to her hand. He might be the gayest gay to ever gay, but Karl was still a gentleman and Brooke a lady.

“M’Brookie.” She was speechless. Well Karl was that awesome, it made sense. Most would be struck dumb at the sight of such a** man**.

Brookie Cookie quickly pulled her hand back, raising it up as she turned out of the room. "Nope, _nope_, not today. I need to wake up from this nightmare or smoke it all away, and you better not be here when I'm back, whatever the fuck you are!"

"Rude, Brookie! 😟 I'm a person, just like you, even if you're a lot less romantically inclined!"

"Fuck you too, weird demon! I don't even know how you just conveyed that to m- you conveyed an emoji somehow through- nope, I _need _to get high now."

With that, she slammed the door. R00d.

“Whelp! Time to go and nab me a dance partner because things are about to get spicy!🕺” Karl chortled as he launched himself out of the window. Except he forgot about the fall.

He splattered on the pavement, then reached up and grabbed his hair and pulled. Luckily, being paper would work too, for now. He could pump himself up on the way.

Instead of reaching out to get his pump as he went (because that was too boring and used too many times on TV), he stuck his thumb in his mouth and blew. And blew. And blew until he _popped _back to normal. "Ah, perfection has been reattained. Oh, and there's the club!" Except the view was still on him. "Wh- no. I know I'm drop-dead gorgeous- don't actually drop dead, I need you to keep reading- but look over at the club, darlings."

Finally, the view shifted away, seemingly reluctantly, from Karl to the club. The infamous club of the SQUIP boss... With a super boring exterior. The name wasn't even listed on it for any possible patrons to possibly pop in! Pterodactyl! Hah, alliteration, what a knee-jerker!

Filled with pride at the fact that he got at least one of the authors giggling with his little joke, Karl focused back to the matter at hand. Namely, the fact that he couldn’t be caught _dead_ in a place so drab.

It needed a makeover.

He opened the build mode and got to work. First, the color. White was so nineties, he needed something bright! Something with pizzazz! _Gasp_, something eighties!

He quickly painted the outer walls black and added some plastic palm trees outside, as well as some by the door. A pink carpet let up to the door, with pink velvet rope stopping the non-exclusive guest entering. Now the sign. Neon pink, blue, and yellow! With lots of geometric shapes! Perfect.~

Finally, he had to figure out the name. Huh, he didn’t actually know the name. No one did. Which meant it was up to him to name it! How about…

‘Disco Mari,’ since they were being so helpful! 😘

There! The exterior was perfect now. He exited build mode and let normal play continue.

Everyone seemed to go as normal, though people who were paying attention even a smidge looked up in awe at his changes. See, more patrons!_ Karl_ knew business, baby.

Strolling on over, he waved at the bouncer, who stared at him in shock and tried to grab at him. Well, he _did_ grab him, but then he slipped his arm out since he turned it all jello-like, and the bouncer pulled back in seeming disgust. Hm. Must've not been a jello fan like Michael. "The designer gets entry, sweetie," was all he said as he opened the door up for himself and let the party begin.

The inside of the club was at least classier than the outside. The cool whites actually worked well in the low lights, and the soft blue lighting from the bar and along the dance floor gave it a sophisticated feel. There were even some ferns around, making this feel like a very upper class joint.

Karl would fit right in.

And there, by the bar dressing in a stunning white suit was none other than the purpose for tonight’s excursion; Jeremy.~

Except ew, he appeared to be flirting with some drab looking redhead. She was simpering and gesturing to the pool tables off to one side, and Jeremy was leaning forward just a little bit, an easy smile on his lips. His eyes were lidded with what looked to be desire, but Karl could clearly see just how disinterested he was. The only thing that could have made it _more_ obvious was a big flashing neon sign above him. Huh, maybe that could be an idea for later.

Instead of using that trick for now, he stuffed it into his suit pocket as he strutted over. As soon as he took a step forward, everyone's eyes turned to look at him except for _Jeremyyy_ and whoever the hell was with him. She probably wanted to make a pool bet and lose on purpose just to get with him. Yeah, no.

He let everyone bask in the glory of Karl as he made his way to Jeremy, smiling his million-dollar smile (well, not _actually_ because it wouldn't compliment his look, but it looked like a million bucks were spent to make it so damn good) as he wrapped an arm around Jeremy's shoulder. "Heya, hun. Hi toots. Sorry, but this one here's already spoken for."

The girl looked offended up until she properly looked at Karl. As soon as she did, her eyes turned to big dollar signs, because how could someone so gorgeous not be loaded (easily, babe, calm your tits).

“Well if _he’s_ taken, how about you, handsome?” she simpered. Karl’s grin didn’t drop, but the idea sprung out of his pocket. A big flashing neon sign with the words ‘I’m gay for him’ and a giant arrow pointing at Jeremy. Perfect.

The girl looked between the sign and Karl, then huffed and stormed off. Jeremy seemed to snap back to reality, blinking and turning to look at Karl as the sign folded up.

“Well there goes my mark... And just what can I do for you, Karl?” He frowned a little. “And how do I already know you name?”

"Because who _doesn't_ know me?" Karl took Jeremy's hand then, getting down on one knee and tenderly kissing the back of his knuckles (because Jeremy deserved only the damn best, and Karl was most certainly that). "And what you can do for me is more of a long-term thing, babe, but I think you can at least do me some good for now by dancing with me. Is that sounding as good to you as it is to me?"

Jeremy was definitely flustered, since his face was turning red, but that easy grin was back and this time he was definitely interested. And who wouldn’t be? It was Karl asking him.

“I’m tempted, since I’m grateful for you chasing off Madeline so I _didn’t_ have to sleep with her. What exactly did you have in mind?” he asked, looking Karl over and trying to take him all in. A hard task indeed, but if anyone was up to it, Jeremy was.

"Well, I was thinking maybe a twist on the classic salsa style of dancing?" As he suggested that, he snapped his fingers and the song playing before suddenly stopped and changed. Ah yes, 'I Like It Like That,'_ perfect_. "And you don't know how to salsa, but don't worry, just follow the prompts when they come up." Before Jeremy could ask with his cute little mouth, Karl easily swept him off his feet (something only _Jeremy_ could ever claim to happen to him, what an honor) and onto the dancefloor, everyone clearing the way for them. Good, they'd need the space.

“...How am I in heels? And a dress?” Jeremy asked, looking himself over. He looked up and must have spotted the prompts coming right at them. He quickly moved to match it, acting purely on instinct, and anyone could tell that he was surprised at how easy the motion was. Only the best for Jeremy.

"Because you have to match the mood, and you look _great_ in both," Karl answered as he kept dancing. Everytime they got a move right (and of course Karl got every single move done right), a small green 'Perfect' appeared in front and above them. Because how _else_ would everyone else know how well they were doing if they couldn't see them past the forming crowd around them? "Also, keep it up, you're doing a_ smashing_ job." And he went and smashed some of the floor under his foot. Whoops, not like it was _his_ club or anything.

Jeremy kept dancing, his motions in time and fluid even in heels. See, he’s definitely a keeper, he adapted so quickly! He even managed the spin, except Karl spun him a little too fast and a bit too hard so Jeremy turned into a little bit of a drill as he circled around the space. Still, he didn’t seem too dizzy since they continued dancing.

After stomping around and dancing with Jeremy, Karl had to make sure Jeremy had some of the spotlight. Just as the song was ending, he saw the prompt come up, and he grinned as he caught Jeremy's leap. Jeremy stuck his legs out, striking a pose with Karl as the song finished with a flourish. Karl made sure that the winner's crown ended up on Jeremy even if _he_ got the perfect score.

Everyone around them applauded, even as the place wasn't as nice as it was when Karl entered. Whoops. "So, how'd you like being swept off your feet, Jeremy?"

“I don’t think anyone has ever managed to come anywhere close, Karl. I feel adored and I love it.” Jeremy beamed, his flushed cheeks contrasting nicely with his white suit (what? Jeremy looked_ good_ in a white suit). He fiddled with the crown a little before putting it on Karl’s head. “You earned this.”

"I mean _yes_, but you _deserve_ it." It quickly poofed off of his head and reappeared on top of Jeremy's. "Keep it. It's the least I can do for you."

Jeremy stepped closer, expression flirty and curious. “And what _exactly_ have I done to catch the eye of such a man as you?” Oh, he was right in Karl’s space now. He’d have to calm his racing heart. He pushed it back as he gulped, trying to stop it from beating out of his chest. “What have I done to deserve this adoration?” He was tracing a hand up Karl’s arm now, oh lord help us!

"You were yourself."

Then the moment was ruined, of _course_. Never could there be a true moment between them until later, after all. This was only Jeremy's first encounter with Karl. Leave some suspense and mystery, after all.

The sound of other SQUIPs coming in overtook the club since the music dulled down a bit. "Well, I have to bid you adieu for now, Jeremy." He took Jeremy's hand that was tracing up his arm, pressing a chaste kiss to it before waving and grabbing at the door behind him in the middle of the ruined dance floor. "Until our next encounter, mon amour."

Jeremy seemed a little stunned, his hand outstretched as Karl dashed through the door. And the door shrunk down behind him, popping out of existence as Jeremy turned back to his colleagues.

Aaand back in Michael's room he was. Well, that was enough excitement for tonight. "Well, it's time to retire for the night and to let Michael sleep," Karl announced, which was real redundant after the show he made of getting back and saying he was done. "Oh, you both love me.😘"

Despite what Karl said, no one dared to give him the satisfaction of a response. "Maybe another night then. For now, adieu."

And off came the mask.

Michael woke to the sound of his alarm blaring. He didn’t have any classes (yay Winter Break), but he did have work in a few hours. He flailed his arm in the direction of his phone, smacking it until the sound cut off.

What a fucking weird dream.

Whatever the hell was laced in that mask was_ powerful_. Even after sleeping, he felt wiped... but at least he flirted with Jeremy in his dream and had Jeremy interested in him. That was pretty rad.

Despite that, he needed to get himself up... So he did just that. He got up, showered, and then went out to get himself some breakfast. As he went to the kitchen, he saw Rich and waved around a yawn. "Mornin' Richie."

“Morning, Mike. What went on in your room last night, dude? You were making a hell of a racket, and Brooke said some green faced creeper broke in or something,” Rich asked, sliding Michael a plate of chocolate pancakes.

"No one broke in, it was me probably being weird. Tried something out last night and it did _not _end well. I'm _still _wiped after all of it," Michael said around a yawn. "Mm, thanks for the cakes. When're you working?"

“I have the day off today, but I have a doctor’s appointment at four. Which is just after you get off work, right?” Rich nodded, peering over at the calendar. “Also, you tried something new without us? The betrayal!”

"Trust me, it wasn't_ that_ good. And how tired I am after having it isn't worth it," Michael grumbled out as he didn't even sit down, instead leaned over the breakfast bar where he rested his plate and ate standing. Like a _heathen_.

“You_ do_ look fucking exhausted... I’ll grab you some Mountain Dew, get you a pick-me-up.” Rich turned and headed over to the fridge, apparently not taking no for an answer. He was definitely the mom out of the three of them.

“Isn’t soda something you’re _not_ supposed to have until, like, eleven in the morning?” he asked as he watched Rich dig through the fridge. “Also, it better not be normal because that shit is _gross_. It better be Code Red or Red or whatever the blue flavor’s name is...”

“Calm your tits, Mell. It’s Code Red. We both know normal is fucking disgusting.” Rich chuckled, pulling out the bottle. “And this isn’t just a soda, it’s an energy drink. So you can drink it whenever, the caffeine allows it. And since you don’t drink coffee, it’s your best option for a caffeine hit.” He chuckled again, sliding the bottle along the breakfast bar to Michael.

“That sounds like bullshit but alright.” Taking the bottle, Michael looked it over with a frown. “Can’t you at least pour it into a glass? I’m not drinking straight out of a two-liter like Brooke does. That’s a sin.”

“Nag nag nag nag nag.” Rich shook his head, grabbing a glass down (he had to stand on his toes, he hadn’t gotten any taller since high school) and placing it in front of Michael. “There you go, your royal highness. Anything else?” He stuck his tongue out, which only reminded Michael of how thick Rich’s lisp used to be. He’d improved a lot, but it was still a thing.

“A boyfriend would be nice, and a stable mental state,” Michael told him before pouring himself a glass of Code Red and drinking a third of it in one go. “Ugh, but I doubt you’d be able to get me those, they’re hard to come by.”

“Can’t help you with either, dude. But who knows, maybe you’ll catch the eye of some rich pretty boy and get swept off your feet.” Rich poured a glass for himself and took a swig. “Speaking of rich boys, you heard about what happened at the club last night?”

Wait, what? “No, I had a really bad trip then went to bed. Enlighten me, Goranski,” he muttered out before eating some of the pancakes. Mm.

“Some weird rando turned up, gave the place an eighties makeover, and tore up the inside. While dancing. All the group chats I’m in have been exploding about it,” he explained, taking a bite of his own pancakes.

No, no, nono_no_, that was all supposed to be a drugged-up trip. Maybe it was some _other_ dude? Yeah, yeah... but to be sure... “What did the rando look like?”

Rich pulled out his phone. “Hold on, Stacy got a picture. She was walking past when he did up the place, said she felt like she had to photograph him.” He flipped the phone around to reveal... Karl. Just like from his weird, trippy dream.

And here came him choking on his food for a few seconds. Rich ran over and pounded his back (shit, he was still strong, did he still work out?). “I’m good, ‘m good,” he managed after getting his food down the right pipe. “He just looks so _weird_.” OK, not a drug-induced trip. GreAt.

“He sure does. And yet, somehow... attractive? It’s weird, like he’s got this aura of appeal.” Rich snorted. “The green mask doesn’t do much for him though.”

Thank god he didn’t have anything else in his mouth when Rich called Karl_ attractive_. “Yeah, he’s not that good looking. Gaudy outfit and wack... _everything_.”

Rich snorted again. “Yeah, he’s not that good looking, it’s just the vibe. Like he _wants_ to be attractive, so he is. Apparently Stacy was utterly smitten until she looked at the picture again.” He took back his phone and slipped it into his pocket. “Anyways, I’ve heard the SQUIPs are on high alert for this guy. So be careful if he comes into work or something. All we have to go on is his weird look and his name, which everyone seems to know somehow. He’s called Karl. With a K, because why the hell not?”

Well fuck Michael gently with a chainsaw (yes, he liked some theater... he blamed Rich). “Yeah, I’ll definitely be careful. You be careful too,” Michael said before eating some more of his pancakes. “No matter how attractive he may seem in the moment, don’t be swept up by Karl with a K if he comes in and asks for a sandwich combo.”

“He doesn’t seem like the type to go for a Subway, but I’ll keep that in mind.” Rich laughed. “Honestly, though, I kinda wanna meet him. He seems to be almost cartoony in the best way. Like cartoon logic and all that. God knows we could use a little excitement in our lives like that. Just don’t go flirting with him, or we’ll have the SQUIPs on our asses.”

Oh god. “Hell no, I know I’m desperate and lonely, but I’m not _that_ desperate and lonely.” Michael sighed before eating the last few bites of his pancakes. “And who are you to tell me who to and not to flirt with, _mom_?”

“Exactly. I’m your third mama. _Someone’s_ gotta keep your ass out of trouble.” Rich poked him playfully. “Speaking of, you’ll need to head off soon. Don’t want to be late.”

“Ugh. I know. All I need to do is get ready and changed, that takes twenty minutes at most on a bad day.” He rubbed his eyes hard under his glasses before drinking the rest of the Code Red. “But they love me there. I’m their best employee, even Rosa said so before she became the owner. That’s why I get fifty tokens after every shift ends.” He poked Rich back playfully before reaching over to haphazardly put his dish and cup into the sink before heading to his room. “Thanks for the food, Rich!”

“No problem, sweetie,” Rich called out in a falsetto. “Stay warm!”

Well, the rink had been surprisingly getting more attention since Rocky passed. Plus, it was winter break, so that helped too. Michael had gotten more people than usual at the concession area. While he wasn’t used to it, Michael enjoyed the constant dip and rise of customers to give slushies, nachos, and other various snacks that seem to only taste good at rinks, bowling alleys, and gas stations. It got his mind off of the fact that he apparently did all that crazy magic shit and tried to woo Jeremy-

OK, well it only worked so well for so long. Michael decided to, after cleaning all the machines and the counter and everything he could, numb his brain with a slushie if he could. He poured himself a cherry slushie and hummed ‘Freeze Your Brain’ all the while. Hah, suck it JD, he got free slushies... Even if they weren’t as good as Seven-Elevens... Still, _hah_.

“You never struck me as a musical fan, but I guess the theater calls to us all eventually.” Looking over his shoulder, Michael saw Jeremy leaning against the counter with a lazy grin. His suit was a navy this time, and his shirt was a pale pink.

“Mm, it does. I blame one of my roommates for it,” he said as he took a sip from his slushie and turned to lean against the counter as well. One quick glance around and Michael knew it was at least safe enough to talk with no one around. Everyone was either eating in the little sitting area, skating, or gaming. “You certainly got back to me quick. How did everything go last night?”

“Well, you’re not on the hit list, but...” He sighed. “I’ve been assigned to get the mask from you. By having you give it over willingly, since apparently the magic or whatever is supposed to be stronger that way or something. That _does_ mean I get to spend my work days with you, but it also gives me less time to work out a plan.” He rolled out his shoulders and shot Michael another grin. It was a little weaker but still just as warm. “I _will _make sure you come out alright after this, though. That’s a promise.”

“Thank you very much.” Michael took another sip as he thought everything Jeremy said over. “_How_ are you supposed to get me to give this thing to you over willingly?”

“Befriending you or something. Winning your trust so you’ll give it to me.” Jeremy shrugged. “I kinda left out the detail that we were already friends.”

"Well that's good. And hey, you can still think of planning and stuff while we hang. You don't always have to talk and chat when you're hanging with someone," Michael pointed out before glancing back at the slushie machine. Hm... did he still like them? "By the by, you thirsty? Hungry? Craving anything?"

“Blue slushie, please,” Jeremy half groaned with a grin, flopping forward. “It’s an addiction I can’t seem to cut.”

"Somehow, I had a feeling you'd say that." Putting down his slushie, Michael quickly grabbed the largest cup they had and started pouring. "Also, don't worry, it's on the house. I owe you for lunch yesterday. This stuff's free for me anyway."

Jeremy’s eyes went wide and Michael could have sworn his cheeks got a little red. “Well aren’t you just a sweetheart,” he cooed as he made grabby hands at the slushie. “Seriously though, thanks. Second time I’ve been wooed in as many days.” He shot Michael a cheeky wink, obviously trying to cover up his own flusteredness.

"Oh, I wooed you, huh? Good to know," he said before finishing the pour, capping it, and handing the slushie over with a straw. "Who am I competing with?" He tried to show that he was joking, which he somewhat was.

“Depends on if you’re actually trying.” Jeremy chuckled, taking a slurp and grinning as he pulled back with a small brain freeze. “I was romanced by a guy at the club last night. He decided to somehow get me into a dress and heels and salsa with me, Just Dance style. He even gave me the winner’s crown, which shrunk down after he left.” Jeremy held up his right hand, which had the winner’s crown around his middle finger.

OK, yeah, that proved that last night wasn't a dream... He sorta wished it was. "Well, _he_ can offer a crazy night in but..." Michael looked around before pointing up at the menu. "I can get you free soft pretzels."

“Oooh, tell me more, my fine suitor.” Jeremy’s grin was that same easy one from last night, which Michael was coming to recognise that meant he was enjoying himself. And the look in his eyes as he took another slushie was almost the same one he gave Karl before he vanished. Flirty and curious.

Wait, was Jeremy genuinely interested in_ him_?

To keep himself calm (because if he'd stop, he would be an incoherent gay mess), Michael kept going. "You can also get some nachos that don't taste like ass and are actually better than cardboard. There are also some chicken tenders I can cook you as well as some nuggets. There are some dipping sauces that normally are an extra twenty-five cents per, but I can get them to you for free too."

“My, aren’t you just spoiling me. I might go for some tenders in a bit, if you’re up for it.” Okay, yeah, he was definitely flirting. What the hell? “Also, I was wondering… when’s your break? I wanna be able to chat with you properly and not have to... be so careful.”

"Uh..." Michael looked over at the clock near the freezer that was hidden from customer view. "In half an hour, I think... Yeah, half an hour." He looked back at Jeremy then and raised a brow. "Want some tenders for lunch?"

Jeremy started walking backwards towards the exit. “You bring the tenders, I’ll be right back!” he called, grinning and waving before dashing outside.

He blinked at that, watching Jeremy dash out. Michael was quickly brought out of his stupor when he saw some teen girls coming over, giggling as they looked between Jeremy and him. Well shit.

"You're really gay for him, huh?"

"Look, I'll give you all a free small slushie with whatever you order if you _don't_ bring this up again."

"As long as you can swirl cherry and blue raspberry together."

"Deal."

The half an hour passed slower than Michael would have liked, but he did eventually make it to his break. He was just heading over to the break room when Jeremy appeared next to him, bag in hand. Which was scary, because he Michael hadn’t seen him come in and hadn’t heard anything.

"What'cha got there?" Michael asked after he managed to catch his breath, holding the plastic basket full of tenders in his hand. Hey, Jeremy asked for the tenders, he was bringing the tenders.

“Sushi. You like sushi, right? ‘Cause I got some fresh stuff made up instead of grabbing the Seven-Eleven stuff you’d normally get.” He held up the bag a little sheepishly, and Michael was _certain_ he was blushing a little now. “I got loads of different things, so there’s plenty of choice.”

"Well, if you hadn't told me you'd been watching me for the past week, I'd be a little freaked out right now." Even still, he _should_ be freaking out over all of this. Why was he just casually accepting this?! Was it because of the damn mask?... Instead of voting himself crazy, he decided to blame it on that for now as he walked with Jeremy to the break room. "What good shit did you get?"

“Some Negimaki, salmon uramaki, some vegetable maki, and some miso soup. Oh, and some tuna nigiri and some shio ramen too. I’ll take whatever we don’t eat back to your place after.” He shrugged and Michael noticed that, where he used to struggle with the different names, Jeremy pronounced each type of sushi perfectly. Like with a proper Japanese accent for the correct words and everything.

"Wow, most people butcher at least half of those," Michael pointed out as he opened the break room door and checking inside. Alright, he was the only one on break. He opened the door fully, letting Jeremy walk in first before going in and letting the door shut after him. "How'd someone as white as you pull that off?"

Jeremy blinked, as if just questioning that fact for the first time. “I’m fluent in Japanese. And I’d correct you on my ethnicity if I actually knew it.” He set down the bag and began unloading the contents on the table. There was a_ lot _of food, enough to last Michael through dinner too. It was awesome!

"I'm guessing you got taught that?" Michael set the measly tenders down, closer to Jeremy so he would snack on them, before he took the negimaki and slid it toward himself with a pair of chopsticks. "And even if you knew it, you look like one of the whitest people I've ever met."

“Yeah, fair enough.” Jeremy chuckled, snagging a tender and humming happily. (Did he actually like it? They seemed pathetic next to Jeremy’s offerings.) “And yeah. During my six month training period, I was taught Japanese as _well_ as my basic skills to do my job.” He ate some of the uramaki and took one of the portions of miso.

"Damn. I struggled trying to learn Chinese for one year so I opted to take Sign Language for the rest of high school," Michael said around a laugh before eating some negimaki- holy _shit_ was that amazing. No shade to Seven-Eleven, but he would _marry_ this negimaki.

“Well when you have nothing to start from, learning is surprisingly easy...” Jeremy was quiet for a moment as he ate another tender. “I... I actually remembered something last night.”

OK, serious time. "What did you remember?" Michael asked after finishing his sushi bite (which was basically the whole thing in one go because that is the_ proper _way to eat sushi).

“Getting high in a basement, of all things.” He chuckled softly. “I was playing a video game and... I dunno. It’s hazy but I felt safe and happy. And whoever I was with... I can’t pick out any details, but they made me feel that way too.” He set down his chopsticks, sort of staring into his miso. “It’s the first time I’ve actually remembered _anything_.”

Again, he wanted to say it was him so bad, but he didn't know how amnesia induced by a damn machine would work. If he told Jeremy before he remembered himself, would he go rogue? Ugh... But at least he made Jeremy feel safe and happy back then. "Well... I'm sure whoever you were getting high with felt the same way about you."

“I hope so... It... it felt like _home_, that little snippet. I want to go back to that.” He wiped at one of his eyes before looking up at Michael with a watery grin. “B-But, hey. At least this whole thing let me meet you. That itself is awesome.” He sounded genuine about that too.

Michael reached a free hand over to rest on the table then, offering it to Jeremy in case he wanted it. "Maybe... Well, I can't promise a basement, but I could try to give you something like that... If you'll let me."

Jeremy took his hand slowly. “How d’you mean?” Was that a tinge of hope in his voice?

"A place where you can have moments like that, where you know where home is. You always have it, but you'll just have those epiphany-like moments where it hits you and you're just... you're just so happy," Michael promised him, intertwining their fingers. He had wanted this with Jeremy before, had taken it for granted back then. He wasn't going to do that again.

Jeremy’s cheeks had gotten progressively redder as Michael spoke, and he averted his eyes from Michael’s gaze, down to their interlocked hands. “I’d _really _like that. I haven’t had something like that in a very long time. Not since I woke up at least...”

"Well, you deserve to have something like that." He squeezed their hands together. "You really do..."

Jeremy’s laugh was a little bitter. “I doubt that. I’ve done a lot of bad things, Michael. And even with my training and having no other point of reference for normality, I know they’re wrong. If... _when_ I remember, that’s going to get worse. So I don’t know if I do deserve it.”

"Yeah, but you were forced into this," Michael pointed out as he sat up a little straighter. "You can do good still, you _have_ done good. You're doing good now by trying to keep me from being messed with in this whole thing. I..." He took a deep breath. "I think you deserve it. And I'm definitely crazy, but I still think so."

Jeremy chuckled wetly and squeezed Michael’s hand. “I’m glad I met you. Michael. Even with everything else wrong in my life, I’m glad for this.” He took a breath and looked away. “I... really like you, y’know. Like, a lot.”

"Well I like you a lot too," Michael told him. He wanted to say it so bad years ago, and even if it was different circumstances, it still felt even better than Michael could've ever imagined to say that. "I really do."

Jeremy giggled, fucking _giggled_, and blushed again. Then his face turned serious. “I... I can’t promise there wasn’t someone I had feelings for from before, but I know that right now... I’ve never felt like this with _anyone_ before. And if you’re up for it... would you like to maybe take it slow and... maybe try this out?” He squeezed Michael’s hand again.

Was it stupid to do this? Yes. Was Michael doing it anyway? Yes. "I'm up for it, to take this slow and try this out," Michael told him as he smiled softly down at him. "I haven't felt this way either for anyone else." That was true, none of his other boyfriends came close... Except for Dustin Kropp freshman year of college, but even then.

Jeremy beamed at Michael, the expression lighting up his face and making him look just like he used to. Then it turned sheepish.

“I guess this gives you access to level two backstory, huh?” He chuckled and quickly snagged another tender with his free hand. “The things saved for me, the things from before, were a stripy shirt, a cardigan with something stitched on, and a _really _old game.”

The game Jeremy went to get. Of course. "What_ really_ old game? I'm a retro game freak and, as you probably already know, have a lot of classics that are worth a lot of bank... probably... I dunno." He shrugged and ate the last negimaki roll. Boo for small amounts of sushi per tray.

“Apocalypse of the Damned. I play it whenever I get the chance, but I can’t make it past level nine.” He chuckled, finishing off his miso and starting on the ramen.

"Well, it's impossible to beat the game in single-player mode from what I know," Michael informed him as he reached over and took a portion of miso and a few pieces of vegetable maki. He'd save the tuna all for dinner.

“That would explain it.” Jeremy squeezed his hand. “I spend most of my days off in my apartment trying to beat it. And not wearing contacts, god they _suck_.”

"That's why I stick to glasses only. I can't even handle those air shots or whatever in your eyes, and the person doing them for me always says, 'We'll just do it next time.' It's never next time though."

“I_ have _to wear them when I’m on the job”, Jeremy groaned, flopping his head forward. He took a miserable mouthful of ramen. “I cannot _wait_ until I’m not active anymore.”

Michael couldn't help but snicker as Jeremy slurped up some of the noodles. "Yeah, I can only imagine." He thought for a moment. "I mean, if you're ever hanging out at my place with me, you don't have to wear contacts."

Jeremy brightened considerably at that. “Thank _god _for that. You’re really the best, Michael, I swear.” He took a much happier mouthful this time.

"Oh, I don't think I'm the best, but thank you," Michael sheepishly said before drinking some of the miso.

“Dude, I haven’t been able to be around anyone in anything but a suit for five years. Casual clothes and glasses are reserved for in the apartment only.” Jeremy gestured a little with his chopsticks before taking another mouthful.

"Well, my place is technically an apartment, so that's still within 'the apartment only' code," Michael pointed out with a playful smile before eating some more. "_God_, this food is amazing."

“I’m glad you like it. Most of it I bought from a restaurant, but the miso I made myself.” Jeremy grinned, finishing off his ramen. “And I’ve got a cooler for the sushi, so no one will see it in your apartment either.”

"You made the miso? When?" Jeremy did_ not_ know how to cook to save his life when they were younger. "And wherever you got it from, they're amazing."

“I made it up this morning, since I’ll usually have it for lunch anyway.” He shrugged. “Even if I’m just an assassin, I’m still pretty self sufficient in the functional adult side of things. I can cook, clean, and run the finances all by my lonesome.” He sniggered.

"Wow. You're so damn independent and functional. How the hell do you manage?" Michael asked, resting his head in his free hand after he finished off the soup.

“I sorta had to just get on with it, since after our training we’re sort of dumped in an apartment and told to start surviving. As a SQUIP, you can choose what you get, so I took everything I could. Got a lot of skills from it.” He shrugged.

"Well damn. You were still just a teenager..." Michael let out a sigh as he squeezed Jeremy's hand. Try to change the topic off of teetering on upsetting! "Well, will I ever get to see these skills or your apartment? Maybe one day?"

Jeremy turned bright red. “I... yeah, if you want. Normally I only take people back there if I’m... told to charm them. So you’d be the first going in knowing exactly who I am.” Mission accomplished.

"Yeah, I mean, you've already been to _my_ place, it's only fair." He gently squeezed Jeremy's hand as he gave Jeremy a teasing yet loving grin. "If we can get it set up and if it's safe... Maybe I can stay the night since you probably couldn't at my place?" Why was he being so forward? And... suave? Damnit (in a _good_ way), did Karl rub off on him or something?!

Jeremy started stammering as his face went bright red. It was the least composed Michael had ever seen him since finding him again. “I-I mean, I guess. If you want to, I can totally do that, I would be_ so_ down for that if you are. I mean, I’d like that.”

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't like that-"

_Knock knock_ on the break room door. "Hey, Michael, I need to talk to you," Rosa called. "Do you think you can come to my office before you go back to the concession? I know you're still on break, sorry, but this is important."

“I’ll be around.” Jeremy grinned, adjusting his grip on Michael’s hand. He bowed and pressed a gentle kiss to his knuckles in return. “Until then, my dear.”

Michael couldn't help but smile and felt no shame in the warmth he felt coloring his cheeks. "Until then."


	3. The Bet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, but it is also super fluffy compared to some of the other stuff that has happened and will happen, so... take it. *tosses it to you all* Have fun!
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara:
> 
> 'Hey lovelies! So Jeremy and Michael have a chance to sort out some more difficult stuff with their relationship, and they make a bet. Honestly, this chapter is mostly fluff, just fun stuff. Enjoy!'

The rest of work was dull in comparison without Jeremy. Sure, Michael knew he was close by, but he wasn’t interacting and it_ sucked_. Still, Michael wasn’t closing and by three o’clock, he was free.

After getting changed out of his uniform and leaving it in his locker, Michael headed outside to try and locate Jeremy. No sign of him. Huh.

“Looking for someone, handsome?” Jeremy chimed from behind him. Turning around, Michael found Jeremy leaning against the wall next to the door he walked out literally fifteen seconds ago. How did he keep doing that?

"Yeah, this really cute guy who I think agreed to be my boyfriend, but we didn't really confirm anything," Michael said with a shrug as he turned on a dime to face Jeremy, smiling all the while. "What about you, cutie?"

“I’m looking for someone who is positively gorgeous and seems to have no fear. He and I need to have a proper chat before we can confirm relationship status.” Jeremy pushed off the wall and wandered over to Michael. “Sound familiar?”

He shrugged. "Mm nope, not really, but I could easily be that dude for you. That sound cool?"

“You seem better than the alternative anyways.” Jeremy shrugged in return, grinning and offering Michael his arm. “Shall we walk?”

Michael grinned in return as he took Jeremy's arm, holding onto it as he tried not to laugh. God, this was how they used to be... except without all the romantics, but still! "We shall."

Jeremy beamed at him and started heading back to Michael’s apartment. “I was serious about talking before we can say we’re boyfriends, though. There’s some stuff that I want you to know before you agree to anything.”

"Yeah, of course. Lay it on me, Jeremy."

Jeremy sighed, his shoulders drooping a little. “You know how my job makes me do things I really don’t wanna do?” he asked hesitantly.

He nodded... and had an idea on where this was going. "You probably have to flirt and do other things you don't wanna, right? For the sake of completing a job."

“More. A lot more.” Jeremy shivered. “I get given marks and I have to... charm them. It’s one of the nonnegotiable things my job entails.” He sighed. “I hate it. I’m a sex repulsed asexual and I’ve slept with more people than I like to admit. Now, I’m all for a little intimacy if I like a person, but I don’t get a choice in this.”

"Same, I'm a sex-repulsed ace, but uh... You said you hate it and don't have a choice, right?" Jeremy nodded. "And it's not like you like them more than me and want a relationship with them, right?" Again, Jeremy nodded. "Well... I'm alright with it, especially since you won't be doing this forever. Once you're outta this business, you won't be doing it anymore."

Jeremy looked stunned for a moment, then he leaned over and pressed a hesitant kiss to Michael’s cheek. “How did I get so lucky to know someone like you?”

Michael shrugged with a warm smile. Jeremy just _kissed_! _His_! _Cheek_! "Uh, I dunno if it's lucky that you know me, but thank you. And no clue."

“Lucky is the word I would use,” Jeremy murmured, his face still close to Michael’s. That easy grin was back too, which was always a welcome sight. “So tell me, Michael, would it be possible that you could be my boyfriend?”

"Hm..." Michael glanced off to the side, his warm smile lingering as he pretended to think it over. "I think- Hm... It _is_ possible for you to be my boyfriend, and I would love to be your boyfriend as long as you'll be mine as well."

Jeremy giggled. “I would love that.” He pressed another quick kiss to Michael’s cheek. “Holy shit, I have a boyfriend,” he muttered, almost sounding awed.

"Yeah, you do have a boyfriend," Michael echoed and confirmed with a snicker, tugging Jeremy just a little closer so he could kiss his cheek in return. "Pretty neat, huh?"

“More than just neat.” Jeremy nodded, his cheeks gently flushing when he received the kiss. “It’s amazing! I never thought I’d even get someone who would be my best friend, let alone my boyfriend! And you managed both in a few days! Er-“ Jeremy cut himself off, cheeks going bright red from their light blush as he realized what he said. Obviously he hadn’t meant to say the best friend comment.

Michael couldn't help but melt at that. Instead of tease him or joke, Michael just smiled as he gently tugged Jeremy to the side, even if Jeremy was leading him home. "Well, there's just something about you that makes me feel the same way to you, Remy," he said, and as soon as he realized what he called Jeremy, he tried to cover it up by smiling and kissing the back of his hand again. Yup, he totally intended to call him that, _yup_.

Jeremy spluttered a little and his eyes went wide. Something in them seemed to click, because almost a look of understanding passed into them. “Wh-What did you call me?” he asked quietly, sounded awed and nervous.

"Uh... I called you Remy. If you don't like that, I won't call you that-"

“No, please!” Jeremy cried, before adjusting his volume to something a little more manageable. “Please do call me that. I... I like it. It sounds... familiar.” He looked away.

A warmth spread in his heart as he let out a small hum. "Alright, but only 'cause you asked nicely... and because you're adorable." He ended that statement with a quick kiss to the top of Jeremy's head (he always wanted to do that and now he just did it!).

Jeremy spluttered a little again, but turned his flustered sound into something closer to faux outrage. “I’m_ not _adorable! I’m a deadly assassin! Feared across the country! I’m not _cute_,” he growled before pouting up at Michael.

"But that noise you made, the faces you've shown me, that _smile_? Those only prove how adorable and cute you are," Michael retorted before gently 'boop'ing Jeremy's nose.

Jeremy crossed his eyes to watch Michael’s finger, then his pout grew. He leaned against Michael and whined. “You’re so mean to _meeee_.”

"Nope, I'd say I'm pretty nice, all things considered," he said in return before gently squeezing Jeremy's arm.

Jeremy giggled and grinned up at him. “Yeah, you are. I really like you.” He straightened up and pressed another kiss to Michael’s cheek. “We’re almost back to your place. Wanna head up and hang?”

"Yeah, I'd love that. I have some good sushi we can share for dinner," Michael offered with a cheeky grin as he reached into his hoodie pocket to grab his key ring.

“Yup, you do. And Brooke is working late for a winter sales thing and Rich actually has a date after his doctor’s appointment. He’ll probably stop by after that to get changed but then we have the evening to ourselves. At least until I have to go for work.”

"So it's a date then?" Michael asked with his cheeky grin still in tact as he started up the stairs of his apartment with Jeremy.

“Sure thing, sweetheart. And... I have a small surprise for you too, when we get upstairs.” Jeremy grinned, his expression a little hesitant, but very excited underneath it all.

"A surprise for me? Already? Wow, you're sweet," Michael said as he walked up the few flights of stairs with Jeremy. He wouldn't admit to the exhaustion he felt from the few flights, even if Jeremy looked amused at his few huffs and puffs. "Shush."

“Don’t worry, Michael, I’ll help you get into shape easily, if you like,” he teased, even if the offer was genuine. He accepted the weak bap with Michael’s hoodie sleeve, giggling the whole time. “C’mon. I... this means a lot to me too, so don’t judge me too harshly, yeah?”

OK, now Michael was_ extremely _curious. "Look at me. Does it look like I have room to _judge_?"

“You _could _though,” Jeremy grumbled. “Look, I’m still not used to this whole sharing personal stuff, okay? I don’t really open up to people normally.”

He stepped aside so Michael could open the door.

"No, no, I get it. I'm just joking with you and telling you that I won't judge you. I may think it over and stuff, but I won't judge you," Michael reassured him as he went to his door, unlocking it quickly before opening the door. He held it open for Jeremy. "Company first."

“How polite.” Jeremy grinned, clearly relaxing a lot more. “C’mon, I set it up in your room. And the cooler with the sushi’s in there too. Rich didn’t even know I was here.”

"Oh, it's already set up? Sweet." Michael shut the door behind himself, locking up and kicking his shoes off. "Also, want anything to drink? We have soda, seltzer that isn't gross, water."

“Code Red?” Jeremy asked with a shy grin.

"Nice choice." Quick on his feet (he caught his breath, OK? He was fine now), he went into the kitchen, grabbing two cups and the bottle from the fridge. Michael poured two glasses before putting the bottle away and meeting up with Jeremy outside his room. "For you."

“Thanks!” Jeremy beamed, taking the cup. He headed into Michael’s room, hovering nervously by the bed. “So, er, I brought something over and I set it up. It means a lot to me, and I wanted to share it with you.” He picked up the remote and turned on the small tv Michael had in his room for his games. The oh so familiar menu music from Apocalypse of the Damned filled the room. Michael hadn’t heard this in years.

"Apocalypse of the Damned..." He had to keep himself from bursting into tears right then and there. Instead, he just beamed in return and sat down on his bed, within distance of his controller to grab when he wanted to. "Holy shit, you brought it over? This is awesome! I haven't played in so long!"

Jeremy was fiddling with the hem of his suit blazer. “It... I wanted to share it with you since it means a lot to me.” He had set down his glass and he was looking away from Michael. “I wanted to... it felt right.” He was clearly nervous and was barely registering Michael’s excitement. He pulled out a butterscotch sweet and started sucking on it.

Putting his own glass down, Michael got up and went to Jeremy, carefully taking his hands. "Jeremy, I'm so excited to play this. Like I said, haven't played this in years. I'm so happy that you brought this over and set this up." He squeezed Jeremy's hands as he smiled fondly down at him. "Thank you."

Jeremy relaxed again, looking up at Michael shyly, smiling a little. “I’ve... This is the first time I’ve shared it with anyone. I was a little nervous, I guess.” He squeezed Michael’s hands. “Thank _you_.”

"No, thank _you_ for bringing it and sharing it with me," Michael said in return before squeezing his hands back. "Ready to play some Apocalypse of the Damned, Remy?"

“I am, Mikey.” He nodded, then turned red. He looked away with a small cough. “You- you wanna be Player One?”

"If you'd let me," Michael told him, sure he was grinning like a mad man at this point.

“I think it suits you.”

Oh, he had _no_ idea. "Well thank you, Player Two. Now lets go kick some zombie butt!"

They played happily for several hours. Michael had forgotten how much fun this game was, and how easy it was to play with Jeremy. He hadn’t lost any skill at all, maybe he’d even gotten better.

Eventually, reality had to creep back in. The sound of the front door to the apartment opening stuck Michael with sudden worry. That was Rich. He couldn’t see Jeremy. But then, as soon as that thought crossed his mind, the game was paused, the tv switched off, and Jeremy was just gone.

A knock on his door snapped Michael out of his surprised stupor.

Michael quickly laid back in his bed, tugging his blanket over himself. He took his phone out and quickly unlocked it. Wow, he did it all within a second or two. "Come in," he called, glancing over at the shut door.

Rich popped his head in with a grin. “Hey Mell! Just letting you know that I’ve got a date tonight. Don’t know when I’ll be back. If I’ll be back.” He stepped in. “How was work?”

"Eh, work was work. Saw a cute guy, but that was probably the most exciting thing," Michael answered (which wasn't entirely wrong) with a shrug. "How was your appointment?"

“Good. Doctor said that the mole was nothing to worry about, so we’re all good.” Rich arched an eyebrow. “Did you at least_ talk_ to the cute guy? Or did your gayness overwhelm you and you drown your sorrows in slushies _again_?”

"I mean, yeah, I talked to him... And also gave him a free slushie and free tenders," Michael admitted as he buried himself further into his blanket. "But he thought I was cute back!"

Rich’s grin got brighter. “Yay! That’s progress!” he cheered. “If he comes around again, try to get his number.” He shot Michael a thumbs up before heading to the door. “Anyways, I’m gonna get ready. Enjoy your scrolling. And I’ll let you know before I head out.” He ducked out with a quick wave.

"Have fun getting ready for your date," Michael called out, watching Rich shut the door before he let out a sigh and glanced around. He waited a moment before asking, "Remy?"

Jeremy stepped out from his closet nearly silently. “Once again, he didn’t suspect a thing.” He smirked, crossing his arms proudly. “We should wait until he’s gone, though, before we continue playing.”

"Mm, yeah, we'll wait, but do you really think that you could always keep that up? Not getting caught, I mean."

“Easy. There’s a reason why I’m the top level SQUIP.” Jeremy looked so cocky.

Michael didn't know why, but he just wanted to challenge that cocky look... He blamed Karl again because normally he'd _never_ do this, especially when he knew he'd lose without a doubt. "Mm... Are you sure about that? Are you willing to bet on that?"

Jeremy climbed into the bed and crawled over to Michael, hovering over his pone form. “And what is it you’re saying we be, hmmm?” he purred and damn, when did he get to be so... much? Michael was getting flustered already.

He had to keep his cool, so he just smiled as best as he could up at Jeremy as he replied, "Well, I'm trying to say we bet on if we get caught or not, y-y'know? More specifically, though, if_ you_ get caught. No getting caught or_ detected _for a whole week."

Jeremy leaned down just a little, pressing a teasing kiss to Michael’s jaw. “And the stakes?” he asked, his breath fanning gently over Michael’s neck. Hot _damn_.

"U-uh..." Don't stop working now, brain, god damnit! "Um... Well... Y-you decide, I guess, since I'm challenging you."

Another kiss against his jaw. Damnit, did Jeremy just like seeing him flust-

Of course he did. He was an ass. And Michael loved it.

“How about the loser has to plan a date. I’ll pay either way, but whoever loses has to plan and organize a _proper_ date,” Jeremy murmured after a moment.

"Are you saying the last bit 'cause I'm a broke college student who loves Seven-Eleven more than he should?" Michael couldn't help but ask as he put down his phone to reach up and, after a moment of hesitation, gently rest his hands on Jeremy's waist. This was _seriously_ happening (what was happening? Michael wasn't exactly sure, but holy _shit_!).

Jeremy’s chuckle was deeper than normal, and it almost made Michael shiver. “Something like that. But also because I have more money than I know what to do with, and I_ like _the idea of spoiling you.”

... OK, he had to ask, even if it ruined the mood. His brain thought of it so he_ had_ to say it. "So... you're basically offering to be a weird version of a sugar daddy?"

Jeremy snorted and kissed along Michael’s jaw again. “In a way, even if I’m younger than you. You deserve to be spoiled.” He lingered for a moment. “So what do you say? To a proper date with me as the stakes and letting me take care of you a little?”

"Well, either way, I get a proper date with you, s-so it sounds good," Michael told him, looking up at him from where his head was cushioned against his pillow. "Do you think though t-that we wait until we get a bit more, uh, intimate until then? So whoever wins can really enjoy it, as well as the loser?" This was great, he loved this, but it felt a bit much. He wasn't sure if his poor gay heart could take going so fast so soon, even if he adored Jeremy.

The almost hungry look in Jeremy’s eyes softened and he flopped to the side, lying next to Michael and nuzzling at his shoulder instead. “Of course, Mikey. Whatever works for you.” He sighed happily. “You up for cuddles though? And you didn’t answer my other question.”

"Yeah, I'm up for cuddles," Michael told him before his brain caught up to what was really happening now and what Jeremy said. "Wait, didn't answer your other question? I thought I answered them both." Was his brain too fried from all the intimacy and just _everything_ that just happened? Probably.

“You didn’t tell me if I can take care of you. I wanna do that for you.” He got a bit more comfortable next to Michael before wrapping an arm around him.

Michael rested an arm over Jermey's side then as he let out a small 'oh.' "I thought that was included in my answer... But yes, I'm alright with that as long as I can treat you and care for you too. This isn't just a one-way street, you know."

“I know,” Jeremy cooed. It was a little strange how easily he switched moods, but Michael wasn’t complaining. This was awesome. “But trust me, I’m feeling utterly spoiled right now.”

"You are? But I haven't even really done anything 'sides giving you some soda and some company," Michael told him, looking down at Jeremy with slightly furrowed brows.

“That and this right now is more real care and love than I’ve ever had, so I’m almost dizzy with it all.” Jeremy didn’t sound upset about that, if anything, he sounded _happy_. As if this was literally the best thing that had ever happened to him. Maybe it was, as far as he could remember.

The fact that this might've been the most cared for and loved in the past five years... Michael's heart ached as he held Jeremy a little closer then. "Well you better get used to it, 'cause it's not stopping-"

"Who're you talking to, Mell?" Shit.

"The game I'm playing on my phone!"

"... Please tell me you didn't back into Mystic Messenger."

"... Maybe I did?"

“You’re insane Mell. Anyways, I’m off. Catch you later!”

“See you, Richie!”

A minute later, the front door opened then closed. “That’s not fair. You were talking, not me,” Jeremy grumbled, burrowing his face into Michael’s shoulder with a pout.

"That doesn't count then," Michael told him as he laughed. "It starts now."

“Deal.” Jeremy nodded, nuzzling closer with a happy sigh. “I really, _really_ like you, Mikey.”

"Well I'm glad, 'cause I really really _really_ like you," Michael hummed out, resting his head on top of Jeremy's.


	4. Tip of the Hat to Cuban Pete

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, this is our second appearance of the lovely Karl... We also have a special function in this one. If you've never seen the movie 'The Mask,' I recommend you click the link when it appears in the fic so you can understand the context of the scene. This chapter'll be a chaotic treat. ;3c
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara:
> 
> 'Hey lovelies! Everything is going well for the boys, which means it’s time for some chaos. Not a bad thing, though. Chaos is Karl’s middle name! Enjoy!'

Michael was ending his shift, though he thankfully wasn't closing up. It still was late though, closer to seven at night, and it was dark out and the wind was bitter. Well, at least that's what Jeremy told him as he was finished changing out of his uniform and standing beside him, watching as he played his last few rounds on the crane game... He _may _have given Jeremy his tokens for the night to watch him play.

"You have to do training? I thought you'd be high enough to, you know, be above all that?"

“It's because I’m so high ranked that I’ve been ordered to. Big boss wants me to set an example or something, so I’m out until, like, two in the morning to teach the new trainees how to SQUIP,” Jeremy explained as he managed to grab a blue ghost and get it to the prize drop. “Yes! I got it!”

"Hell yeah, you got Inky!" Michael grinned as Jeremy went into the chute and pulled the little ghost plush out. "But back to grossness: ew. Well, at least you don't have to get up early tomorrow... right? Since I have no work and I'm gonna more than likely sleep in until eleven or noon."

“Yeah, I can sleep in. And hey, it’s stayed locked up, right? So even if I miss an hour or two with you, it’s not gonna affect my mission or whatever.” Jeremy grabbed the plush and stood up, wrapping his arms around Michael. “But maybe I’ll get up early just so I can come snuggle with you. Since Brooke and Rich are out early tomorrow, but back early too.” He nuzzled against Michael’s shoulder with a happy sigh. He had become _very_ cuddly after last night, not that Michael was complaining.

"Mm, you'll have to wake me up at least a little. Even if I'm barely conscious, I wanna at least know you're there until you leave and we can't snuggle no more," Michael said as he smiled down at Jeremy before wrapping his arms around him as well and squeezing around his waist.

“Okie dokie.” How cute could he _get_? He was an assassin for crying out loud! He wasn’t supposed to be cute, but somehow Jeremy was just fucking adorable. “I really like you a lot. And I really like cuddling with you.”

"I really like you a lot too. I like cuddling with you, talking with you, listening to you," Michael listed off before reaching up and gently pinching the end of Jeremy's nose. "You get me?"

Jeremy nodded and giggled. “I get you. I feel the same.” He cuddled close to Michael again, looking perfect content and at peace. It was a notable difference to normal, Michael now realised. Warmth spread in his chest when he realized that Jeremy was more relaxed with him then anywhere else he’d seen him since he saw him again.

"Good. I get that you get me. Do you get that I get that you get me?" Michael asked, purposefully making his voice a bit sillier before he pinched one of Jermey's cheeks ever so softly. "Do you, Remy? Huh?"

Jeremy laughed again, eyes shining with happiness. “I do get it.” He grinned, still giggling. God, this boy was going to be the end of Michael, just wait. He was going to die of cute-related heart palpitations.

"OK, so you get that I get that you get me, and I now get that you get that I get that y-" Michael laughed this time as Jeremy gently swatted his arm with Inky. "Hey, be careful with him! He's a delicate little ghostie."

“No he’s not, he’s tough! Because he hasn’t been spooked yet and Pac-Man didn’t get the power pellet,” Jeremy protested, cuddling the little plush to his cheek. “I gotta get him home before I have to work. So I gotta go now.” He pouted.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow and we'll get to snuggle," Michael told him before 'boop'ing his nose. "If you can, do you think you could bring your PJs to change into when you come over? It's always the best to snuggle in PJs."

“I can do that for sure. I’ll just throw a coat over them and come to your place in them, bring something to change into.” Jeremy grinned, reaching up and pressing a kiss to Michael’s cheek. After a moment’s hesitation, he pressed another kiss, just a quick one, to Michael’s lips.

Michael's cheeks warmed up at the quick kiss (on the _lips_!) that he got, returning it before Jeremy pulled himself back. "Well good. We'll have a lazy morning together then." He hesitated before squeezing his side and letting go. "I'll see you later then."

After he left, Michael went too, taking out his phone as he went. Before he pulled it all the way out though, his hand brushed something soft. He frowned in confusion before seeing that there was a Ms. Pac-Man plush. When had Jeremy won that? And when did he hide it in his hoodie? Sappy nerd.

Michael gave the plush a quick cuddle, loving what she represented, before pulling out his phone properly and putting her back. She was going up on to his shelf as soon as he got home.

With that thought in mind, he walked back home, listening to his music as he went. He was really glad that he had a skip in his step tonight.

Finally, he made it back to his apartment, walking in with a sing-songy, "Honeys, I'm home!"

Brooke and Rich’s head both poked out of their respective rooms, looking tired but happy. “Someone’s in a good mood,” Brooke teased, exiting her bedroom and coming over to hug Michael.

“Ooh, did that cute boy from yesterday come in again?” Rich asked, following behind Brooke and hugging them both.

After hugging them both back, Michael couldn't help but hum and nod. "Eeyup. I let him have my tokens to play at the arcade-" Brooke gasped because they knew how sacred his bonus tokens were. "-and he won himself Inky and won Ms. Pac-Man too, but he snuck her into my hoodie when I wasn't looking. She's still there right now."

Rich squealed and flailed a little. “Ohmygod! He’s totally into you, Michael! Lemme see! Lemme see!” Brooke just rolled her eyes at their friend and gestured for Michael to show them the plush.

Rolling his eyes, Michael took out the Ms. Pac-Man and showed it off. "I think he's into me like I'm into him," Michael admitted (though for him and Jeremy, that was more than obvious at this point).

“I’m so happy for you, Michael! Gah!” Rich was legitimately jumping for joy at this point. What a cutie.

“As much as I hate to agree with the drama queen, I do. I’m happy someone’s making you happy, Michael.” Brooke grinned. “Do we get to know this mystery guy’s name?”

"I will let you know soon. Have to keep the suspense and intrigue high and steady, you know?" They couldn't know it was Jeremy, not yet. Once this mess was over with, once he remembered, then yes... But for now? No.

“_Fine_,” Rich groaned. “But I’m expecting details of what happens regardless. As much as I want to let this guy into your life, I gotta look out for my best bro, alright?” Rich poked his shoulder and started walking back to his room. “I’ll bring you some chocolate milk later, Mell. I’m feeling generous.”

Brooke stayed by his side for a moment longer. “I trust your judgement, Michael. Just be careful, there are a lot of nasty people out there and I don’t want to see you hurt.” She squeezed his shoulder before heading off as well. Brooke knew about those nasty people, her last boyfriend had cheated on her. A lot. Luckily, she dumped his ass and now had her eye on a cute girl in her class, a drama nerd called Christine.

Michael loved Brooke even more even for that little show of love. Yup, she deserved someone sweet like Christine.

... If only she could ever get out more than a sentence to her before getting all anxious and running off. Poor Brooke.

Regardless, he smiled as he walked to his room, pulling off his hoodie and tossing it into his laundry basket. He really needed to wash it, especially after he slept and sweat in it... Ew. Maybe he'd take a nice shower.

Michael nodded at the thought, putting Ms. Pac-Man down... next to the box that held the mask. He couldn't help but have his gaze linger on it before pulling his eyes away. It just... when he thought about wearing it (god damnit, he was thinking about it now), the need and want became so strong, maybe even _too_ strong.

... One more time wouldn't hurt, right?

It’s not like Karl did any _real_ harm, right? Just caused a little chaos. It couldn’t be so bad to let him out, and it would help distract him for the rest of the night as well. He wouldn’t have to think about missing Jeremy, he could just have some fun.

With his arguments made, Michael quickly grabbed the key and unlocked the box, pulling out the mask once more.

Looking at it, it seemed so plain. Hard to believe such a strange looking wooden mask could cause so much fuss. Oh well, here goes nothing.

Once again, it sucked onto his face and the world started spinning. Except this time, he didn’t stop until Karl was ready to strut his stuff. _After_ he chose his outfit for the night.

_Now _the party could get started. Karl confidently tugged his bright pink blazer, grinning as he looked himself over with his new navy-blue shirt and all in his hand-held mirror he picked out. "Oh, hello, good lookin'. I've certainly missed you.😘" He had to pull himself away from his own reflection (seriously, he was getting handsy with himself and the only person he'd get handsy with wasn't there, and the most done in these fics were heavy make-out scenes). "But not as much as I've missed _him_. Time to go find J-"

“Hey, Michael, I got your chocol-“ Rich cut himself off as he spotted Karl, eyes going wide in awe. Well at least he was more polite that Brooke. “What the duck is happening? How did you get in here?” he asked, almost sounding breathless. “Why did I say duck?”

"Oh, whoops. Must've left autocorrect on." Karl turned to look at Rich then and grinned a dazzling grin (that wouldn't blind him, he didn't wanna have Rich pay for glasses, they were too expensive). "Hopefully it's fixed now, Richie."

“You know my name?” Rich asked in wonder before frowning and trying it out. “Fuck. Okay, thanks, Karl.” He beamed. Rich set down the chocolate milk. “So, are you like some ultra gay super hero or something? ‘Cause I’m totally cool with that.”

"I mean, you can be the judge of that." Well, help _would_ be appreciated with the stunt he wanted to pull tonight... "Do you want to come with me and be my sidekick tonight on this night of mischief, Richie?"

Rich got stars in his eyes at the suggestion. “Would I!”

As he said that, though, the door opened again. “Rich, what’s going on in here?” Brooke grumbled, freezing in her tracks when she saw Karl. “Oh hell no, not dealing with you again.” She groaned, turning to leave. “Not dealing with a green faced gay demon thing. Nuh uh.”

An idea popped up, and instead of pocketing it for later, Karl decided now would be the perfect time to use it. "Oh well, I guess that I can't tell you about a deal I had for you... involving Christi-ine from dra-ma class," Karl sung out, making a little spotlight appear in front of him and Rich with a pink-hued image of Christine enthusiastically mid-wedgie pick.

Brooke stopped, but didn’t turn around. “I’m listening...” She sounded suspicious, but Karl was about to rock her world.

"Imagine this-" In front of Brooke appeared another image, this time of Brooke and Christine laughing together in the apartment. "You are able to text Christine Canigula, the girl of your dreams, and get her on a date. Then_ I _get you two steady real quick using my Sims logic."

“You can only really get with someone if you’re compatible in the Sims...” she mused, thinking it over before turning back to Karl. “You know what? Why the hell not. Do your magic, Karl.”

Karl grinned. Ka-ching. “Alright, and now...” Time to bring out the inner Jedi in him. He waved his hand in front of Brooke in an arc-like motion, watching her eyes follow it as they glazed over. “You will text Christine to hang out and have dinner two nights from now.”

“I will text Christine to hang out and have dinner two nights from now,” Brooke echoed before turning and leaving the room, her phone already being pulled out.

“You- you just did a Jedi mind trick on her.” Rich sounded sounded stunned. “And you’re setting her up with her dream girl. You’re even cooler than I thought!” he cried, bounding a little on the balls of his feet. “What can I do to help tonight?” A willing volunteer! How delightful, it was so nice when they _wanted_ to help.

"Well-" He knew Rich would enjoy the extra flourish, so he reached deep into his jacket's interior before pulling out a... bisexual-themed utility belt! "I'm going to need you to take traps out of here and set them up _all _over where we're headed. Don't worry, they'll grow to size after you yank them out. They won't go off until the right person or people go over them as well, so neither of us'll be caught up in them." Karl then held out the belt with a single hand. "Think you're up to the task, Bi-Buddy?"

Rich took the belt reverently and nodded. “I can totally do that, Karl!” He snapped it on, still bouncing a little. Well it was nice that _someone _appreciated how awesome Karl was. And without any prompting! Rich would be the best choice for a sidekick.

"Alright, now just do as I say." Rich nodded with so much enthusiasm. "Spin with me." After all, spin transitions were the best mode of transport for _heroes_.

Rich spun on his heel, like Karl, and the transition music played. By the time they were facing each other again, they were in the park. “Whoa, we’re in the park now! And you got a rose, when did you get that?”

"During the transition over here, Bi-Buddy," Karl answered with a 'duh' kind of tone because where _else_ would he have gotten it? "Now, I need you to set up traps over the park. Then hide near the front of the park, near the gated area. I'll meet you there."

Rich stood up straight and saluted. “Yessir!” He scurried off, placing down one of the bombs as he went.

Now that the traps were being set, it left Karl with _plenty_ of free time to go find his true love. And maybe earn true love’s kiss while he was at it, he could play the part of the princess if he needed to.

Instead of having to worry about going this way and that, he strolled right on in, whistling the Bomberman theme as he went. If those SQUIPs were quick enough (they weren't), they'd get the foreshadowing.

“Alright, people, listen up.” Ooh, that was Jeremy. And he sounded so strong and commanding and brave. Karl could spare a minute to appreciate his man before diving in headfirst.

Jeremy was standing next to another SQUIP, talking to a class of about twenty students. “Combat in the field is _not_ like in practice. It’s fast paced and you don’t need to stick to your form. It doesn’t matter if you’re elegant or if you grab the wrong part, so long as your targets go down. Your task for tonight is to take down the other teams. How you do this is up to you, but you can’t use weapons, is that understood?”

“Yessir, SQUIP!” the students chanted, saluting.

Oh did he look _stunning_ when he spoke with such command. Karl had to keep himself back for now as he admired how tall and confident Jeremy looked as he stood straight up, hands on his sides as his blazer was _off_. Oh, he was going to make someone drop _dead_ with how fine he looked. Probably one of his many fans reading this. Not Karl, he was immortal thanks to The Mask. Thanks, Loki!

OK, enough admiring. Now it was time to get to work.

He took out a whistle (from the inner dimensions of his jacket, it worked like Mary Poppins' bag but better) before blowing it, letting its sound carry itself _and_ Karl over to Jeremy's side. "What's cookin', good lookin'?"

Despite everyone else flinching or gasping at Karl’s sudden appearance, Jeremy didn’t react beyond a smile. He turned to Karl, a flirty grin already on his face. It seemed a little different from the other night, but that had to be because Jeremy actually _knew_ him this time. “Hello Karl. What brings you to the park at this_ late_ hour? And dressed so... beautifully.” Jeremy looked him over, making a show of it. Karl preened under the attention.

"You do, my dear," Karl informed him, taking out the rose from behind his back and handing it over. "For you and only you. Or maybe you like yellow roses better-" He handed him one of those too. "-or orange-" Out and over to Jeremy it came. "-or maybe all the different colored roses, natural or otherwise." There were over fifteen different roses held out to Jeremy, including a rainbow-colored one!

Jeremy smiled around his bouquet. He shifted the flowers to one arm and whistled over one of the students. “Go put these somewhere safe. In fact, I want them in a vase, in my office. Go.” The student took the flowers and scampered, leaving Jeremy’s hands free.

He stepped closer to Karl, resting his hands on Karl’s chest. One slid over to his arm, holding on to his bicep. Jeremy looked up at Karl with an almost smoldering gaze. “You know, I _am_ under orders to take you in,” he murmured, “but I have a better idea. You and I take a stroll, alone, instead? Hmm?” He started walking his fingers up Karl’s chest, gently ‘boop’ing his nose when he got close, giggling a little.

Oh god, he was like putty under Jeremy's hands. He was melting- no, wait, don't actually melt! Melting was such a mood killer. Still, he swooned and grinned down with utter adoration at Jeremy with heart eyes again. "Oh, I would_ love_ that," Karl admitted, giggling. He felt his feet fluttering a little, but he kept himself from going further than an inch off the ground. He was a fan of the height difference, but he couldn't appreciate it if his head was stuck in the clouds!

Jeremy grinned up at him, waving away some of the clouds forming around Karl’s head before pressing a kiss to his cheek. He giggled at the hearts floating around Karl, pressing one to his cheek fondly. It instantly absorbed and Jeremy’s pupils turned to hearts and his expression got a little wobbly with adoration, just like Karl’s. Well, it wouldn’t have done anything if Jeremy didn’t already love him. They were dating, after all.

"Come on, Remy, let's get going," Karl told him, making sure their arms were looped as he started to turn tail and walk away with his beloved.

Of course some of the idiot SQUIPs had the gall to try to stop their love-scapade. "Hey, let go of him!"

"Hey, you dinguses, he_ said_ he wanted to take a stroll, alone, with me. Are you going to _not_ let the best SQUIP do as he wishes? Do you _want_ to mess with him, let alone the wielder of a creation of Loki, the Norse god of darkness and mischief, who could torment you for all of eternity?" The SQUIPs were whimpering at that, all curled up on one another. "Thought not!" Any disarray or chaos that may have formed around them was just for the sake of intimidation, which was one of his highest bonus skills due to his_ insane_ Charisma stat! Woo woo! "Now c'mon, love. Let's bounce!"

Jeremy followed after him with a dazed, lovesick grin. Whoops, seems like Karl might have turned up the charm a_ little_ too much. Oh well, more fun for him.

One SQUIP seemed to decide that he was going to be a ‘hero’ and ‘rescue’ Jeremy from Karl. He didn’t understand, and clearly thought he was doing the right thing. “I said, _let him go_,” the SQUIP said with a deep voice, the gun now in his hands.

Jeremy stepped in front of Karl, hands out. “Jake, just chill. He’s my... well, he’s my Karl. He’s fine. Put the gun _down_,” he ordered, still looking absolutely stunning. The SQUIP, Jake, seemed to consider this and lowered the gun (he was getting immunity for being a good boy!), but it was quickly stolen by a trainee who pointed it at Jeremy.

“I kill you and him and the boss promotes me, right?” He chuckled darkly. Now it was time for Karl to intervene, even if Jeremy was perfectly capable of dealing with this himself.

Karl tsked as he took a step forward. "That _isn't_ how it works, dipwad." The guy looked honestly surprised by that. "Because, like I said, I'm _immortal_. Were you_ not_ listening to my amazing little intimidation tactic less than a minute ago? Wow, you have to be pretty stupid to not be scared by that. Are you scared now though?"

"Y-yes," the SQUIP said, quivering where he stood. Good.

"As you should be. Now, drop the gun like a good boy!" Down it went. "Now go curl up with your other friends! Go, c'mon!"

All the trainees were huddled together now, and the one Karl had just intimidated to Hell basically threw himself into the middle of it to hide. “Training’s cancelled. Meet back here in three days, no exceptions,” Jeremy ordered. The trainees ran as soon as they were given permission. Jake looked over Karl and Jeremy before nodding.

“I won’t ask, that’s the deal, but be careful dude. He’s on the boss’s hit list,” he warned before scooping up his gun and heading off after the trainees.

Jeremy turned to look at Karl again, throwing his arms around his neck and pressing a big kiss to his cheek. “My hero! You saved my life!” He leaned back and frowned a little. “There are other groups in the park, though, they could cause trouble.”

"Oh, don't worry about that. They're going to be taken care of _easily_. My sidekick set up traps for them," Karl explained as his chest puffed up pridefully (and literally). "Now, I do believe you owe me a walk, alone?"

Jeremy beamed at him. “I do. Let’s go, honey, I wanna be close to you.” Jeremy shifted to cling to Karl’s arm and leaned against him. He was giggling almost drunkenly, and the little hearts from earlier were out dancing over his head.

Whoops. That pure love he absorbed was a bit much for him, maybe. Still, Karl wasn’t about to complain. The cutest guy in the whole city, maybe the whole world, was head over heels for him.

Karl beamed back down at Jeremy as he started to walk down a perfect path for the two of them. "You're already close, but I understand wanting to be closer," he almost sung out as he lead Jeremy along. "So, what did you want to do on this walk? Talk? Learn how to balk or calk? Get some chalk?"

Jeremy giggled and shot his heart eyes up at Karl. “You’re so funny, honey.” He blinked. “Oh, that rhymed too!” For a moment, Jeremy just seemed to just stare at Karl, taking him all in, before he started cooing over him, playing with his hair and pressing soft kisses to his neck, which was all he could reach at the angle he was at.

Oh, this was _heaven_! He let Jeremy walk on Cloud Nine (yes,_ the_ Cloud Nine) so he could be a little taller and not have to stretch and strain himself to do all of the playful touching and loving. "I know I am, but I need to know what you wanted to do on this walk, baby cakes." He reached over and 'boop'ed Jeremy's nose as he looked down at Jeremy with bigger heart eyes. "Pwease tell Kawl, Wemy!"

Jeremy beamed up at him, opening his mouth to respond. “I-“ At that moment, small hearts appeared around Jeremy and they popped with kiss sounds. The hearts in his pupils faded. “Oh... you charmed me...” Jeremy mumbled, looking a little dazed before turning another sweet smile up at Karl. “You didn’t have to do that, hun, I’m already at least _curious_. Let’s walk and talk, I wanna get to know you.”

“I didn’t_ mean_ to, love does crazy things sometimes,” Karl reminded him before letting Jeremy slowly walk down from Cloud Nine. Boo. Maybe he’d get back there soon enough. “Tell me what you want to know, my love. I’m an open book- not literally, but I have an open book right here about _muah_ so I can tell you what you wanna know.”

Jeremy grinned. “Well my first question is: why me? What made you so determined to woo_ me _of all people?” Was that insecurity? Not for his Remy! Karl would need to correct that as soon as possible!

“Let me just find the page that had that answer-“ Karl turned to the exact page and watched as the page fell out of the book and rolled past them, out of sight and he_ knew _it was still going. “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways-“ He started to list off everything physically charming about Jeremy, which was a_ lot_, and when he got through about a twentieth of the section about his personality alone, he took a breath. “I can keep going, I’ve barely even made a dent in the reasons why.”

Jeremy was blushing quite hard by this point, making him look so cute! He shook his head, apparently struck mute for the time being. He sighed, his shoulders drooping a little.

“I-... look, you seem genuinely serious about this, and I_ really_ hate leading people on. Especially when they’re so sweet.” He looked away. “I was told to investigate you, try to find out how you did what you did. That’s why I flirted with you. But I actually have a boyfriend, and even if he said this was okay, I don’t want to lead on someone so nice. I’m sorry, Karl.” His blush had turned to one of shame now, and he was looking away. He was just so loyal and sweet??? God, Karl was just so lucky.

“Oh, Remy,” Karl cooed, stopping their walk to take Jeremy’s hands. Time seemed to (and did) stop around them as he focused on the only one that mattered right now. “Don’t worry, you aren’t leading me on.” He bent down a little to be right near Jeremy’s adorable face. “Just look at me, and you’ll know that this is fine.” Karl even took off his sunglasses so he could see. After all, the eyes are the window to the soul, and there was only one soul in here.

Jeremy frowned a little as he looked at Karl properly before his eyes widened. He almost stumbled backwards, but Karl’s gentle grip kept him upright.

“M-Mikey?” Jeremy whispered, confusion dancing in his eyes. “_How_?”

“He’s not here right now, hun, it’s all Karl,” he told Jeremy, standing up properly before ‘boop’ing Jeremy’s adorable nose. “You’re smart, you can figure out how. Besides, who_ wouldn’t_ wanna be me? It’s addicting to be this good! Just like its so addicting to love_ you_.”

Jeremy wriggled his nose a little when Karl ‘boop’ed it. Understanding dawned in his lovely eyes and he sighed. “I guess I’ll talk to Michael about this later.” Then he grinned again, a small puff of Cloud Nine forming around his feet again. “But since you’re here, we might as well continue our walk. Especially since you’re actually my boyfriend,” he cooed, tickling under Karl’s chin teasingly. “After all, you did show me one hell of a night last time we saw each other like this.”

Karl couldn’t help but melt- no, mood killer! He_ kept_ himself from melting again as time resumed around them. “Of course I did, that’s just how a night with Karl goes.” Pressing a smooch to Jeremy’s cheek, leaving a lipstick mark there, he started walking along the path with his amazing boyfriend while he put his sunglasses back on. “Before stuff really pops off, is there anything else you wanna ask? Wanna do? I’ll make it all happen for you.”

Jeremy wiped away the lipstick mark with a giggle, shaking his head. “I’ll just tell my boss you kept me charmed the whole night, since it won’t be a lie.” He grinned. “What I’m after, though, is a good time. Think you can show me one, sweetheart?”

“Oh? I’m more than ready for that,” Karl admitted as he grinned back at his lovely lover. “I just need to know how intense you can go with it, and that consent is always key. How intense can you go tonight with me, my love? Also know that some SQUIPs may be harmed, but not terribly so, in the rocking of your world tonight, but not your friend Jake. He was nice so he gets a pass.”

Jeremy looked positively wicked with his grin and mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Hella attractive. 😳

“Rock my world, sweetheart. Let’s see how wild this party can get.” Oh, this attitude was a winner for sure!

“Oh, get ready then for the night of your life, darling!” He picked Jeremy up, letting him wrap his legs around his waist. “I’m gonna get us to the good stuff, so hold on real tight, alright?”

Jeremy peppered a few kisses along Karl’s cheek before squeezing him with his legs. “I’m ready, hun. Let’s go!” Oooh, the little puffs of Cloud Nine were back, now floating around Jeremy’s head like a halo. He must have been _really_ happy, and who wouldn’t be when they were being held by Karl? Then again, only Jeremy got that honor.

“Alright!” With that, he zoomed off, running by to see if his traps had gone off without a hitch. He briefly slowed down every time they went by one with SQUIPs caught up in them. “Oh, lovely, all according to keikaku.” Karl snickered as he ignored the SQUIPs yelling, all caught in a net dangling above the ground. “Oh, just enjoy hanging around for a bit!” He laughed before glancing up to the sky. “Now, Bi-Buddy should’ve-“ Up came the signal for the cops to show up, appearing in the clouds. “Perfect!”

“You really thought of everything, didn’t you?” Jeremy cooed. “How romantic.” He pecked Karl’s lips sweetly.

Karl has to keep his heart in his chest and himself from melting for the third time. “Of course I did. Only the best for you.” He then continued on his way with Jeremy in the style of the Road Runner, noise and all. They passed by pitfalls and nets and everything in between, all full of SQUIPs. “And it looks like your team won tonight. Woo for their amazing leader for leading them to victory.”

“Couldn’t have done it without you, hun. This looks like the last of them though, and it’s still kinda early. Something tells me this isn’t the only thing you’ve got planned.” That wicked look was back, and it made Karl feel a little weak at the knees. He reached down to stop them knocking together.

“Of course it’s not, honey. After all, what’s the fun of just having the cops show up and nab these SQUIPs with nothing else happening before then? We’re gonna have some good, healthy fun with them,” he promised Jeremy. “You ready for another number but with better choreography than the Just Dance team? No offense to those choreographers, but they can’t choreograph a huge number with the entire police force like Karl can.”

“Oh, that _does_ sound fun. Lead the way, darling.”

“Of course, my love.” Karl tempted fate and kissed Jeremy’s nose before ‘meep-meep’ing them to the gate. He saw that there were some cameras on the way there, and he was sure to give Mr. JT, the SQUIP boss and Jeremy’s boss, a little gift on the way there. (Well, he didn’t personally give it to him, but he had it appear on his desk so that he could enjoy it as he watched what was about to unfold).

The limited edition, one-of-a-kind Karl animated action figure™️ was sure to be a crowd pleaser.

When they arrived at the gates, Karl set Jeremy down, spinning him and dipping him for a moment. Jeremy giggled, but pointed his leg out like he was supposed to. God, he was such a good boyfriend. Jeremy leant up and kissed Karl again. “I’m feeling spoiled again, sweetheart,” he cooed, nuzzling their noses together.

“You should _always_ feel spoiled, my dear,” Karl reminded him before quickly kissing his lips. “Now, I need you to run off for a second. The cops’ll be here and I need to set up for the big dance number.”

“Let’s give them a show they’ll never forget,” Jeremy replied as Karl stood him back up. There was something in his gaze, something a little skewed, that seemed a little... off. Not in a bad way, more in the way that people were normally affected by Karl. Seemed like Jeremy had let in more awesome than he could handle, the cutie pie.

"Of course," Karl told him, pressing a kiss to Jeremy's lips before pulling back. He laughed as Jeremy trailed after his lips, though Jeremy let himself be turned around and directed on where to go.

Now, describing the set up would be too boring and ruin the energetic pacing. So, Karl took out his trusty remote and held down fast-forward for a bit, up until when the cops were all set up. Pause. Karl gave one last look-around, positioning everybody _juuust_ right and making sure JT's cameras were positioned to perfectly take this all in. He blew a kiss to the last one he adjusted before hitting play.

Show time.

In an instant, Karl was surrounded by dozens of police officers, all with their guns trailed on him. A helicopter flew overhead, illuminating him with a spotlight. Karl shot Jeremy, dressed in a police officer’s uniform, a cheeky wink before turning to face Chief Rolan, Derek’s dad.

“We have you surrounded! Put your hands in the air!” he ordered. Karl just grinned.

"Like I just don't care, Officer?😉"

Karl raised his hands up and twirled once, changing out of his suit and into a cotton candy blue flamenco top, neon pink handkerchief-esque tie, white pants, and tap shoes along with maracas tucked into the waistband of his pants and a hat on top of his perfect hair. Every one of the officers looked confused as he started to dance in place, messing with the brim of his hat before starting to dance to the music that started to play. (Oh, all of you who know of The Mask _know_ of the iconic Cuban Pete dance, and if not, Google it. It's important for a frame of reference! So says Karl.😘 Or wait, here, [click right here to watch it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJej6kCgxVM). You're welcome.)

Within moments of him starting to sing and dance, every cop was already into it. Perfect! And instead of grabbing a woman from the crowd of police officers, Karl of_ course_ grabbed Jeremy, who joined in happily. Of course he did, it was his solo! With Karl!

Karl didn’t want to be a_ total _copycat though, he just wanted to pay tribute to that iconic moment, so instead of dipping Jeremy into the crowd, he started the conga line with him, and then on to the jazzy part together too. Jeremy was an _amazing_ dancer, keeping up without Karl even having to do much in the way of guiding him. How perfect was that?

As the dance began to wrap up, Karl and Jeremy both pointed to the gates of the park just as the massive sign popped up, lovingly hung up by Bi-Buddy. ‘SQUIPs for grab inside! The one who collects the most gets a promotion!'

That ought to make Jeremy’s life a little easier!

Of course, Karl already spread out a bit of his powers. He knew Michael was friends with Derek, so his dad would certainly like getting the most SQUIPs. And since he couldn't get a promotion, he'd get a pay raise, of course. He was feeling good and wanted to spread the joy a little, alright? Jeremy did that to him.

While the cops were focused on the sign, Karl gave a birdie to the camera (a blue jay seemed appropriate) before skidding off and out of sight with Jeremy, grinning and hollering (he knew no cops would hear them). "You. Were. _Perfect_! You _killed_ it out there, darling."

Jeremy was back to his button up and slacks from earlier, and he was positively beaming. He rubbed their noses together before capturing Karl’s lips in a quick but passionate kiss. “You were pretty damn perfect too, sweetheart, as always,” he cooed.

"Oh, you know it," Karl agreed as he pressed a kiss to Jeremy's forehead after. "But I need to go collect my sidekick, and your stupid boss is going to call you. There_ will_ be something I gave to him that he's gonna give to you, but you'll enjoy it, I promise. It's almost time for me to retire for the night anyway, unfortunately."

“How about, as soon as I’m done with work, I come straight over. Spend the night. I’m sure you can organize something to make sure it’ll be just us until morning, right?” Jeremy ‘boop’ed his nose. Oh, it was hard to refuse him when he was being so cute. So why would he refuse?

"Oh, I can make it until tomorrow evening if you really want that," Karl told him before 'boop'ing his nose back. It was all he could do to keep his head from spinning. "Michael might be too tired for a bit to do much until the afternoon anyway after all this."

“So long as neither part of you is getting hurt, I’m all for it,” Jeremy murmured, lifting one of Karl’s hands and nuzzling his cheek against it.

"Neither part will be, so you don't worry your handsome little head about it," Karl informed him, gently pinching the cheek and kissing the area better (there was a cute rainbow bandaid there when he pulled back) before pulling back. "I must get my sidekick now, but I will see you soon, my love! Parting is such sweet sorrow!"

“Until then, my sweet.” With that, Jeremy ducked out of the alley and vanished. When Karl stuck his head out a second later, Jeremy wasn’t anywhere in sight. Oh, he was _good_. Maybe as good as Karl, maybe even better because he didn’t even have the magic of Loki on his side! Wow, Jeremy was just fandabbydosey!

Karl decided that it would be too much work to look for Bi-Buddy, so instead he just brought up his console and typed in \tp Karl Bi_Buddy

He arrived next to Rich a moment later.

Rich looked over at Karl with surprise then before beaming with pride. "You totally_ are_ a super gay superhero, Karl."

"Of _course_ I am, and you're my amazing sidekick. Now, I have one more favor to ask of you." Rich nodded reverently. "I need you and Brooke to be out of your apartment for the next twenty-four hours. Otherwise, I won't be able to help her on her date." Was he playing dirty? Yes. Was it totally worth it? Yes. "Let it be a day where you two prep for the date with Christine. Also, don't worry about work, you don't have to work and you'll still get paid."

Rich grinned. “I can do that. And if it involves Christine, Brooke will be in for sure. She’s got someone she can stay with, and I’ll spend it with my boyfriend.” He held out his hand, as if to shake Karl’s hand. “Gimme a teleport and I’ll stay out of your hair, dude. I just don’t think I can walk all that way myself. I’m exhausted after all this side-kicking.”

"Of course, Bi-Buddy. I'll need your help anyway during the date, I can't do it by myself." With that, he shook Rich's hand and he was now conveniently at his boyfriend's apartment. By the time he'd be back at Michael's apartment, Brooke would be gone too._ Perfect_.

As soon as he got home, Karl got into some soft purple pjs and and started cleaning up. Just because Jeremy had already seen the apartment didn’t mean he should be staying in a pigsty! (It wasn’t too bad because Michael liked keeping clean.)

As soon as the whole place was spotless and sparkling, there was a small knock at Michael’s bedroom window. Jeremy was perched on the fire escape, still in his button up and slacks, but also now wearing a puffy blue coat and carrying a small bag. “Hey there, love, room for one more in your bed?” he asked cutely.

"Always if that one more if you," Karl told him before opening the window and letting Jeremy in. He even set out a plush red carpet for Jeremy to walk across, all the way to the bed. "What's in the bag? Can I seeeee?"

Jeremy chuckled as he set the bag on the bed. “It’s just some pajamas, and my glasses. Nothing too special.” He popped the bag open and pulled out a pair of soft looking blue silk pajamas. They were dark blue and had small shiny panels on them. “I’m just going to get changed and take my contacts out. I’ll be back in a moment.” He pressed a small kiss to Karl’s cheek.

Karl couldn't help but lean into the kiss. He smiled and let Jeremy pull back and go, waving to him as he left to the bathroom. After, though, Karl got quite comfortable in bed under Michael's sheets (which he restored, along with his mattress, to their prime state, thank you magic) and even took off his sunglasses as he waited for his prince to come.

Jeremy reentered the bedroom a few minutes later, looking more casual than Karl had ever seen him. No suit, no button up, no contacts. Just soft pjs and his old glasses. He was carrying a small stack of his other clothes, but he somehow managed to look awkward and adorable without the layers of SQUIP plastered over him.

Karl cooed over Jeremy as he opened his arms out to him, making grabby hands. "Oh my _lord_, you are the cutest and most adorable person to _ever_ walk the face of the earth!"

Jeremy blushed and smiled at Karl shyly, putting his clothes on the desk and heading over to the bed. He climbed under the covers and curled up in Karl’s arms, still seeming almost shy. He put his glasses on the bedside and hid his face against Karl’s shoulder.

Oh, yeah, he was on Cloud Nine right now. Not literally this time, not like Jeremy had been earlier, but he was. Karl couldn't ask for anything better. He wrapped his arms comfortably around Jeremy, keeping him close before he shut his eyes and quickly fell asleep. Beauty needed to have some shut-eye too. Why do you think it's called 'beauty sleep?'

Some time later, Michael woke up from a deep sleep. He was exhausted, which made sense considering how late he’d been out as Karl last night. Wait, Karl? How was he Michael right now? He went to sleep as Karl!

Michael’s eyes shot opened and he looked around. A warm pressure against his chest stopped him from sitting up, and when Michael looked down, he was sort of surprised to find Jeremy still asleep against him. Jeremy looked so peaceful, so much like he used to, that it made Michael’s heart pound a little. He looked really cute too.

He looked around and saw the box that had been open last night shut and locked up. Well, at least he knew where it was…

Michael lied back properly then, holding Jeremy a little closer as he admired his sleeping form. He had, as Karl, managed to get everyone gone until tonight, so did that mean he could spend the day with Jeremy? Honestly, he was thrilled, even if he was so wiped and wasn't sure he could do too much of anything.

Jeremy sighed softly and nuzzled closer to Michael, grabbing at his sleep shirt gently. He still seemed to be deeply asleep, and he looked so happy and peaceful, more so than Michael had seen him since reuniting with him.

Well, he wasn't going to ruin Jeremy's sleep. He had to be exhausted as well after everything that happened last night... And he let Jeremy know that he was Karl... Oh _no_.

As panic began bubbling through him, Michael almost missed Jeremy’s quiet yawn and stretch. Okay, that was enough to distract him for a moment at least, because that was fucking cute. Jeremy’s eyes fluttered open and he smiled sleepily up at Michael. “‘Morning, Mikey,” he mumbled.

Oh _god_ his cuteness was going to be the death of him. "G'morning, Remy," Michael muttered back as he reached up with a hand and ran it through Jermey's somewhat messy bedhead.

Jeremy hummed as he leant into the touch, eyes half closing in contentment. “How’re y’feeling? Y’did a lot last night,” he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

"I'm wiped," Michael answered, his voice softer and lower for more than one reason.

“M’not surprised.” Jeremy nuzzled against Michael’s chest again. “Being Karl s’probably exhausting. He’s kinda larger than life.” A small, sleepy giggle.

"You... you're not mad about that? You told me not to use it, but I've already used it twice," he couldn't help but ask as his hand in Jeremy's hair stilled due to his nerves.

Jeremy shook his head. “M’not mad, just worried. Y’didn’t know the first time, it was just a stupid mask. And... if _being_ Karl is anything even close to being around him while he likes you... I can’t blame you for wanting that. S’addictive.” Jeremy blushed and hid his face. “I’m normally not like that, how I was last night. I normally have more self control than that...”

Michael couldn't help but laugh as he recalled how Jeremy was acting. "Yeah, I would think so. Karl just... lets you act without any form of self-restraint. It's weird," he muttered out, not agreeing to how addictive it was even if Jeremy was right. "But thanks to him and last night, we have the whole day together. Yay." He paused before sighing. "And... 'm really glad you're not upset."

“M’just glad you can’t get hurt while you’re Karl,” Jeremy muttered against Michael’s chest. “Also, you have a_ lot _of reasons for liking me. Like a serious amount. A little overwhelming, honestly. I don’t feel like I deserve it.”

"You do, trust me," he reassured Jeremy as he continued to run his fingers through his hair. "I think Karl likes to make things a bit extra though, so he'll, like, say something about your hair and break it down into twenty subpoints, you know?"

“I noticed.” Jeremy giggled and Michael could_ feel_ how much warmer Jeremy’s face got. “He’s still you, though.” The grip Jeremy had on Michael’s shirt tightened a little as Michael scratched lightly over his scalp.

"Yeah, but still," Michael grumbled out as he shut his eyes, letting out a yawn. "Speaking of Karl though, we _do_ have the whole day to ourselves... Well, until the evening, and it's..." He opened his eyes to flail and try to find his phone. It was plugged in and under his free pillow (yay for ten-foot long charging cables). Michael quickly tugged it out and checked the time. "It's ten in the morning. Wow, I thought we would've slept in longer."

“I’ll cook for you.” Jeremy nodded. “Y’kitchen is pretty well stocked. I’ll make y’whatever y’want.”

"You're sweet. What did I do to deserve you?" Michael asked then as he smiled fondly down at Jeremy.

“You were yourself,” Jeremy replied softly.

That made Michael's heart swell (thankfully not like how Karl's heart did) as he held Jeremy a little closer. "Thank you."

“You mean a lot to me, Mikey. More than I thought anyone could.” Jeremy pressed a small kiss to Michael’s neck, the only patch of skin he could reach without moving too much. “S’why I was ready to turn down Karl. ‘Cause he might adore me, but you mean more. ‘Least until I found out that he _was_ you. Then I got caught by the silliness.”

Michael had to keep himself calm and collected (his exhaustion helped with that) as he gently scratched Jeremy's scalp in a few different places. "But... why me?"

“I think you saved me, just a little,” he confessed quietly. “Helped remind me of who I am outside of being a SQUIP. Since it’s easy to forget that part when you’re alone. You just... saw me for who I am before anything else. You saw _me_. No one else did.” He nuzzled against Michael again. “And you’re funny and sweet and kind and you just... you’re special. You have so much more to give what you can see from yourself.”

Oh god, OK, he was so lucky he was exhausted or he'd be crying right now for many reasons. "You're special too, Jeremy. You're more than a SQUIP. Hopefully you won't have to be one soon, and we can just do this and not worry. Hopefully... hopefully you can see yourself for who you really are soon."

“Even if I had someone before, I think I wanna stay with you anyways, Mikey,” Jeremy mumbled, blushing again. “Even if I remember, I think being with you is better than anything I _could_ have had before.”

He really hoped Jeremy still thought so _when _he remembered. The part about wanting to stay with him anyway. He definitely didn't have anyone in terms of a partner before and he didn't want to lose Jeremy _when_ he remembered. "I... Thank you, Jeremy."

Jeremy frowned. “You don’t believe me.” He sighed and shook his head. “I know you think my memories will change everything, but they won’t change the memories I made _now_. And the ones I’ve made with now they’re... life changing...”

"No no, it's not that I don't believe you," Michael tried, not wanting Jeremy to be upset or doubtful. "I just... it's weird and a lot to take in, you know? I just want you to be happy, and I'm just glad that you want to be happy with me."

“I _am_ happy with you. I’m happier than I’ve been in five years, in what little memories I have.” Jeremy hummed, relaxing again. “I want a life with you. I want a chance to do everything with you, all the stupid stuff and sappy stuff and just _live_. I want that with you.”

"You're lucky I'm too tired to cry right now," Michael said around a laugh. "And you _really_ want to do all that with me? You've known me less than two weeks, and you stalked me for a whole week before we actually started talking."_ At least, as far as you can remember_ went unspoken.

“It feels like so much longer. I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. You feel like _home_, like that memory I got. It’s the same feeling, being around you.”

If only Jeremy knew, if only he could tell him. There was something in the back of his mind telling him that he couldn't, shouldn't... He listened to it.

"Well I'm glad I can make you feel like I'm home, that we've known each other our whole lives. I... I feel the same way with you."

Michael could tell Jeremy wanted to say something more, but decided otherwise. Instead he just nuzzled against Michael’s chest. “I really care about you, Michael. More than anything. And one day, I want to be able to share a life with you.”

Never did Michael think he'd get the chance of that again after Jeremy went missing. Now, he had the chance to actually do that. He wasn't wasting this second chance.

"I want to be able to do the same with you, Remy. And we _will _be able to. One day."


	5. From Violence to Romance, This Fic's Got it All!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So warning for this chapter: misc. characters die. There is trauma for Mikey boy. It's not a good time for him.
> 
> Oh, there's also Brooke and Christine's date too! So yeah, death and romance. This chapter is the full package.
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara:
> 
> 'Hey lovelies! So, things have been going pretty well for our boys, haven't they? Surely nothing could disturb their peace and quiet. It's not like Jeremy was a hit man or Michael had a magic mask, no way. They could just live in happy fluffiness without worrying about any aspect of their lives catching up with them at a bad time, right? Enjoy!'

Yesterday with Jeremy was absolutely _divine_. Unfortunately, that meant that he didn't see Jeremy yet today, and his shift had just ended... and it was dinner time... Ugh. He needed to eat something.

Michael opened his locker to take out his clothes to change into, but as he did, he saw some of the tokens in his baggy missing... The little sneak. He couldn't help but grin and change quicker than normal, tucking his remaining tokens into his jacket pocket with his keys and wallet so he could hurry out of the break room and find Jeremy.

And there he found him, playing at one of the crane games. Making sure he didn't show up in any reflections and didn't make a sound, Michael came up behind Jeremy and wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his head on top of Jeremy's. "Hi."

Jeremy didn’t even flinch. “Hey, sweetheart.” He leaned back into Michael’s embrace, managing to grab a Pinky ghost from the machine and having it drop in the prize shoot. “I got you a ghost. Also, if you want to sneak up on me, you’re going to need to try harder than that.” Jeremy turned his head and pressed a kiss to Michael’s cheek.

"Aww, you're sweet. And boo, I was trying _super_ hard though," he whined out, resettling his head on top of Jeremy's as Jeremy put in some more tokens.

“I’ll teach you. I know how to be _super _stealthy. You’ll be sneaking up on everyone in no time,” Jeremy cooed, cursing quietly as he failed to get the white spooked ghost to the prize shoot.

“You need to look at multiple angles sometimes to line the claw up just right,” Michael informed him as he tapped the other side of the machine. “Good shot though, you were close. And I already have promises from you to get me in shape. When is this all going to happen, Jeremy?”

“Whenever you like, sweetheart. Just tell me when you’re free. Or would you prefer I do it the SQUIP way and just tell you when we’re gonna do it by looking up your schedule. I could do that, if you really want.” Jeremy shifted to get a better angle for a second, then dropped the claw and managed to get the ghost this time. It slipped out of his grip, but it was much more successful than last time.

“You need to do that sometimes, to get it at the best possible angle to grab,” Michael said encouragingly. He paused as he watched Jeremy put in a few more tokens. “I’m scared to ask what you do to find out my schedule. Do you have to, like, report to your boss my schedule daily or something?”

“More just keep him updated on our interactions. Since I’m not often followed, I can take some... creative liberties about what we do? Either way, he knows I’m gaining your trust, but that’s it. He’s not happy after the other night, though, so he _really_ wants me to speed up,” Jeremy huffed. “But don’t worry, the SQUIPs don’t know anything about you.”

“Did you say something about SQUIPs?” a familiar voice called. Derek wandered over, waving at Michael and giving Jeremy a friendly nod. “Sorry to interrupt your date or whatever, dude. I was just stopping by to say hi.”

"Hey Derek," Michael said in return with a smile and a wave with a hand he pulled away from Jeremy's waist. "I didn't know that you knew I worked here. How'd you find out? Are you... secretly a stalker?" he said, his tone playful and joking. "And yes, it's a hot topic after all the SQUIPs from the park got arrested. Didn't your dad bag the most SQUIPs or something?"

“Mayhaps I am, my dude.” Derek laughed. “And yeah, my dad got a massive pay raise for bringing in so many, as well as a special offer. We really need to thank that Karl dude, as well as his dance partner, for what they did.” Derek finally turned his attention to Jeremy.

“Hey, I’m Derek. Michael and I share a course. I’m guessing you’re his boyfriend? It would be rad if you are, he deserves someone nice.” Jeremy shot Derek a charming smile.

“Nice to meet you officially, Derek. Michael’s told me so much about you. I’m Remy, and yeah, I’m his boyfriend.” They shook hands, and Michael could have sworn Jeremy almost flinched when he took Derek’s hand.

"I can only imagine that you wanna thank him, but from what I've seen, that dude has stupidly weird standards for how things need to be done," Michael said as he tried to figure out why Jeremy almost flinched. "And what 'special offer' do you have to give me? Is it how to help you get a better grade next semester too thanks to my _amazing _study skills?"

“I mean, there’s that, but it’s something else. This Karl dude, he’s been seen in your area. Exiting your apartment building, specifically. I was hoping you can pass anything you get on him to me,” Derek explained. “He’s been... well dad’s promised me a cut of the reward if the SQUIP organization is taken down by the local police, so long as I bring him info. And they think Karl is the key to that, so I get info on Karl, I get some reward. With me so far?”

"I'm with you so far," Michael said as he rested his head back against Jeremy's. "What kinda info are you wanting? Because I'm pretty sure I could get some boring info, and that probably isn't what you're looking for. Also, how much of this cut would I be getting?"

“Anything you can get me would be awesome. Karl is a hard guy to track down, even for me and Jenna. But as for your cut, you’d be getting five hundred.”

"I could totally get you some info. Getting five hundred would definitely help me pay for my part of the rent and bills next month," Michael said with a grin.

“What sort of bills cost you over five hundred thousand?” Derek asked with a small frown. Jeremy burst out laughing.

Michael sputtered for a second as what Derek just said hit him. "You- you did_ not _make it clear that the cut I'd be getting was _that_ much, Derek! That adds three more zeros at the end that I was_ not _expecting!" See, this was why Derek wasn't doing anything in the future that required money talk!

“This isn’t just some petty theft, dude. SQUIPs are dangerous. Stupidly so. That’s why you turn the other way if you see one coming._ But_ that dangerousness means that their boss has the biggest bounty in the country.” Derek grinned. Jeremy was still cackling.

"Shut the hell up, Remy! I swear, if you're laughing at me," Michael grumbled out, poking his stomach a few times before looking back at Derek. "I didn't know how much of whatever bit you were getting, and I had no clue how much you'd be offering me, dude! You weren't clear and now I look dumb in front of my boyfriend."

“Sorry, dude, that wasn’t cool of me.” Derek raised his hands a little in surrender. “You in though?”

Before Michael had a chance to respond Jeremy. “He’s in. So am I, but all my stuff counts as his, yeah?” Derek nodded.

“Sure thing, Remy, if that what you’re after.“

"I mean, I was going to say 'yes' to it, but why do you wanna join in with this?" He knew exactly why. "You could use the money for yourself too, you know."

“SQUIPs are dangerous, they need to be taken down one way or another.” Jeremy shrugged. Then he leant closer to Michael and whispered into his ear, “And that sort of money is almost like pocket change in my line of work. You take it, it’ll help you more.” He leant back, grinning, before turning to Derek. “I’m pretty well off thanks to my family’s work. So Michael could use the money more.”

Derek nodded then as Michael finished really taking in what Jeremy said. “Well you’re sweet to him, some people would still want some of the money,” Derek said before stuffing his hands into his pocket. “I’ll come by the roller rink every day or so, see if you’re here. If you have anything, great. If not, we can still chat. Sound good?”

“Sounds like a deal. Thanks Derek.”

“Cool! See you guys later. Nice meeting you Remy!” Derek grinned, waving as he headed off.

“Nice meeting you too, Derek!” Jeremy called, waving cheerily after him. “Well he seems nice.”

“Yeah, he is pretty nice,” Michael affirmed as he rested his head back against Jeremy’s. “Just like you’re nice, holy shit dude.”

“What d’you mean?” Jeremy asked, reaching behind himself to squeeze Michael’s waist gently.

“Giving help to give info to him and letting me keep all the money, even if it’s chump change for you,” Michael told him as he looked over at the claw machine again.

“Like I said, you would be better off with it.” Jeremy shrugged. “And we both want the SQUIPs taken down, it’s not that big of a deal...”

“It is that big of a deal for me, I’ve never thought I’d ever have that much money at once ever in my life, and you’re helping me. You’re helping me be financially secure in a way I didn’t think I’d be able to be.” He squeezed Jeremy once more before placing a lingering kiss to the top of his head. “Just... thank you, Remy.”

Jeremy hummed, leaning back into Michael’s embrace. “So long as I’m around and you want me around, you’ll never need to worry about money. Or anything, if I can help it.” He chuckled. “You deserve to feel solid in your life, not need to worry about how many hours you have to work to make your next meal. I want to help a lot of people with that issue, but especially you.”

OK, Michael was going to tear up at work. He had to rub his eyes roughly with a hand to keep himself from actually starting to cry right then and there. “You’re so damn sweet...”

Jeremy carefully turned in Michael’s arms to look up at him properly, leaning up and stealing a small kiss. “I guess you’ve rubbed off on me.”

Michael couldn’t help but let out a wet laugh at that. “No, I think you’ve always been like that, deep down,” he told Jeremy before pressing a quick kiss to his forehead.

“Maybe I have, maybe I haven’t. But part of who I am now is thanks to you.” Jeremy was smiling softly at the confession. “You lose bits of yourself in this job. You helped bring them back in me, even in the small time we’ve been together. You helped me remember to be sweet, when everything else dictates I should be anything but.”

“Well I’m glad I’m good at something besides working myself to exhaustion and slinging snacks to roller rink regulars,” Michael said before snickering at his own accidental alliteration.

“Careful there, hun. With all that alliteration you’re starting to sound like Karl,” Jeremy teased, kissing Michael’s cheek. “Speaking of, you wanna go for a normal walk in the park before heading home? Without all the training drills about?”

Pretending to think it over, Michael pressed a kiss to Jeremy’s cheek in return before nodding. “Yeah, that would be nice. It won’t be as crowded ‘cause of the cold weather. Also yes as long as I can get something to eat. I’m hungry.”

“Tell me what you’re after. I’ll grab you something.” Jeremy grinned, taking Michael’s hands and starting to lead him from the roller rink

Michael made sure to grab the Pinky pl- and Jeremy somehow already grabbed it. He waved it in front of Michael’s face as he sighed and took the plush from him. “Thank you,” he said, smiling a little as they exited the rink. “Uh... I dunno, I’m craving some good fries, but you can’t have just fries for dinner.”

“How about we get some stuff from the Moose and Banana to go? I’ll get it delivered to your apartment,” Jeremy suggested.

"Do they do any chicken stuff? 'Cause I love their burgers but I can only really have one good burger a week minimum."

“Yeah, Jamie’s got some really good chicken strips. I’ll sort it out for you.” Jeremy pulled out his phone from his pocket and tapped away at it, then shoved it back in. “The order will arrive by the time we get back, with plenty of time before you and Karl need to organize Brooke’s date.”

"Thank you so much," Michael almost cooed out before bringing Jeremy's held hand up. He kissed his knuckles and the back of his hand before dropping it. "You're so considerate."

“And you’re so cute.” Jeremy was blushing lightly. Then he abruptly stiffened, eyes going a little distant.

Michael couldn’t help but furrow his brows as he looked at Jeremy. Worry started to settle. This couldn’t be good. “What’s wrong, Jeremy?”

Jeremy blinked the haze away then looked up at Michael properly, almost mystified. “My name _is _actually Jeremy. I remembered. It’s not just the name they programmed in...”

He didn’t know that was his real name until _now_? That broke Michael’s heart. “You didn’t- I’m glad you know for sure at least that your name is Jeremy,” Michael said instead, squeezing his hand with a warm smile.

Jeremy gave Michael a watery smile too, but it wasn’t any less warm. “I had suspected, but I- there was no memories to link it to me. But I remembered something, from what you just said,” he explained, wiping at his eyes.

“What did you remember?” Michael asked, genuinely curious as he gently wiped away Jeremy’s tears with his hand, Pinky now under his armpit.

“I had two bouquets of flowers... and I gave them to two ladies. I can’t remember their faces, but I remember their voices. And I said, ‘Happy anniversary, Mama! Happy anniversary, Ina.’ And then one of them, I think it was Ina, said... ‘Thank you. Jeremy. You’re so considerate... now head on downstairs, he’s waiting for you...’”

Oh god, Michael remembered that day. That was their anniversary freshman year, in the spring... He had to hold himself together because that day, Jeremy had been in the sweetest mood. They had worked together to make the best cake they could for their anniversary... Fuck.

"That sounds like it was a really sweet memory."

Jeremy slowly moved to cling to Michael, burying himself against Michael’s chest. “It was. And- and it means I was nice before, too. And my name is Jeremy.” He sniffled again.

"I told you that you were nice before," Michael reminded him before pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

“I know, I just- thank you, Mikey. I’ve remembered more with you than I have in five years.”

Michael knew why, but he wasn't going to say anything just in case. Instead, he smiled down at Jeremy still before holding him closer. "I don't know what I'm doing to help, but... you're welcome. I'm just glad you're remembering."

“Me too.” Jeremy sighed, taking Michael’s hand as they started on their way back to the park.

Michael quickly adjusted the plush under his arm then, stuffing it into his other pocket and letting it stick half out as he happily swung his and Jeremy's joined hands. "Do you have any idea what your life was like before? Like, any speculations? Hopes?"

“No ideas, just hopes.” Jeremy sighed. “Having a family is one, but if I was calling someone mama, then I probably had one. They probably miss me. Maybe I had a best friend, too. Someone who I could just... trust. Who I cared about as much as family.” Jeremy chuckled and scratched the back of his head sheepishly as they entered the park. “I dunno. I just want a home. But I think I’m already finding one, anyways.”

"I was going to say," Michael said, poking Jeremy with their shared hands until Jeremy laughed and pulled their joined hands away.

Jeremy kept giggling, but it quickly fell away when he spotted something behind Michael. Michael found himself quickly tugged behind Jeremy, who pulled out a gun. His expression was ice cold. “Come out, now, all of you,” he ordered. “If you don’t, I’m shooting you all.”

From the nearby bushes, five teenagers appeared. They didn’t look scared, they looked cocky. It took Michael a moment to realise they all had guns too.

“SQUIPs level Twenty-Seven, Thirty-Three, Forty-One, Seventeen, and Twenty-Four. Tell me why you’re following me or I will shoot.”

“Isn’t it obvious, Five-Seven-Four? We wanted to see what the biggest, baddest SQUIP gets up to in his spare time. Turns out he has a little boy toy, which is against the rules. Now we get to kill you and split your levels,” the one Jeremy called Forty-One replied with a smirk.

Michael kept himself from saying anything, biting down on his lower lip. He had a feeling on what was going to go down. No way would these SQUIPs be able to handle Jeremy, especially if they were such low levels. And that meant-

“On the count of three, get behind that trash can, Michael,” Jeremy hissed, indicating briefly towards the solid metal trash can behind them. It might stop a bullet or two, the metal seemed thick enough. Jeremy never once looked away from the teenagers.

“You five have three seconds before I consider this an official challenge and kill you all.” They didn’t move.

“One.” Nothing.

“Two.” Was Jeremy going to actually kill them?

“Three.” Jeremy shot number Forty-One in the head. He didn’t even flinch.

As soon as the shot went off, Michael quickly dashed and hid behind the trash can, curling up but staying watchful. He was bigger, so he couldn't stick out. All his mind could think of was to listen to what Jeremy said and to his surroundings- fuck, those bullets were loud... or was his mind just making everything worse? Not the time to do that, brain!

There was the sound of a couple more shots, then the sound of bodies being hit. It was all happening so fast, could humans even move that fast? Someone hit the ground, then a shot. More punches, one of the teenagers yelped, then another shot and he didn’t make another sound. Another shot and then another teenager screamed. Jeremy let out a small grunt and there was a sickening crack, then another shot and the teenager was silent as well.

Michael felt a pair of hands around him, yanking him to his feet, and the cold metal of a gun was pressed to his temple. “Yo, let me go or I’ll shoot your little boyfriend,” the SQUIP called. Jeremy spun around, small splatters of blood on his otherwise pristine light blue shirt, his expression murderous. The scattered, slightly mangled bodies of the other SQUIPs lay around him, bleeding out.

At first, he tried to escape, but the arm around him shifted to keep him in a chokehold and oh god, alright, he was seeing color spots. Time to stop doing that…

OK, he wanted to stop doing that, but he didn't want to freeze again, god damnit! Well, the fact that he had a gun to his head and an arm tight around his neck didn't help with that, honestly. Michael quietly tried to feel if he could use _anything _he had on him like his keys, but felt something from behind the Pinky plush: a switchblade. Thank god for Jeremy and his quick thinking and reflexes.

Slowly taking the knife and quietly opening it, Michael went and suddenly stabbed the SQUIP in the thigh, twisting to get the SQUIP to let him go. The scream from behind him and the ability to breathe returning to him indicated he did a good job, and he quickly turned and dropped as he tried to catch his breath because god, if he had been in that chokehold longer, he probably would've passed out.

Another shot and the scream was cut short. Slowly, Michael became aware of Jeremy kneeling in front of him, hands outstretched but not touching.

“It’s okay, Michael. You’re safe now. Can I touch you? It’s over, they’re gone,” he murmured gently, waiting for permission.

Just as he was about to nod, what just happened hit him like a truck. Even if they were the ones who started it, all those teenagers who had likely been brainwashed and rebooted like Jeremy had just _died_. And the one who held him died because of _Michael_.

As that realization hit him like a truck, Michael nodded as he felt himself having to catch his breath again, this time from an oncoming panic attack, oh boy!

Jeremy’s hands wrapped around him gently, and Michael was vaguely aware that Jeremy had picked him up. “I got you. It’s over, you’re safe. I’m sorry you had to deal with that, Michael, but it’s over now.” Jeremy’s tone was soothing, and Michael could tell they were moving even if he barely felt any shifts around them.

Taking a second to realize how he was being held- bridal style- Michael shifted to wrap his arms around Jeremy's neck. He tried his best to catch his breath, and Jeremy's soothing tones and the fact he barely felt them walking helped. "T-th-they died be-because of m-me, Jer-Jeremy."

Jeremy shushed him gently. “No, they died because of me and my choices. You did nothing wrong, it’s the system that they joined. They were some of the willing SQUIPs, I recruited and trained them myself. _You_ did nothing wrong, all you did was survive. You didn’t kill anyone, I did.”

Michael wanted to argue, but he didn't have the energy to do that. Instead, he just listened to Jeremy and hiccuped as he kept trying to catch his breath. He rested his head against Jeremy and shut his eyes as he nodded. "O-OK..."

“I promise, this isn’t your fault. It’s just my life, and it’s why I’ve done my best to keep you from it. It’s not your fault, sweetheart.” Jeremy pressed a kiss to Michael’s cheek, the action familiar and normally soothing. Not this time. “I’m sorry you got caught in this, Michael. I’m so sorry.”

Instead of trying to say something in return, Michael buried his face against Jeremy's chest. His throat hurt too much to talk now. It was too tight. Why did he only get this upset now and not before, not when Rocky died or when Jeremy put a gun to his head? It hurt his head to think about so he buried his face against Jeremy's shirt still... until he remembered there was fresh blood there, and now maybe on his face.

“I’m going to take you to my apartment, okay? Then we’ll get you cleaned up and take you home. Is that alright? It’s up to you, love. And you don’t have to talk, you just have to nod or shake your head.”

Thank god he gave him those simple options. Michael just nodded after pulling his face away from Jeremy's shirt before reaching up and burying his face into the crook of his neck. Yes, that was better.

“Okay, we are going to my apartment. It’s not far, and we’ll be there soon. You’re safe, it’s over. You don’t have to even think about it now. Once this passes, you’re allowed to forget and move on. It wasn’t your fault, you did nothing wrong.” Jeremy kept up a constant stream of gentle reassurances until Michael felt the cold air turn warm.

A moment later, Jeremy stopped. “We’re in my apartment now. I’m going to put you on my bed, okay? I’m going to be sitting right next to you, and I won’t let go, I’m just setting you down.”

Michael didn't want to test his voice, so he just nodded instead after reluctantly pulling his head out. His vision was somewhat blurry from tears staining his glasses and the headache he had from crying. He didn't even really want to focus on looking at anything anyway, so he just shut his eyes instead. That helped a little.

As promised, Jeremy very gently set Michael down. The sheets beneath him were plush and soft and it helped a little. Jeremy guided Michael back to hide in his neck and wrapped his arms around Michael ever so gently. “I got you. You’re okay.” They were rocking side to side softly.

Clinging to him as soon as he could, Michael let himself almost break down. It was ugly and raw and his face was gross but he needed it. Even if he had been whimpering and crying before, it wasn't like this. This was intense. This was needed.

Jeremy continued to hold him ever so gently as he worked through his break down. His soft words weren’t judgemental and his touches were soothing.

Eventually, Michael calmed down a little. He was still shaken (and shaking) but he was slowly getting ahold of himself.

“Feeling any better, Michael? Anything I can do to help? You don’t need to say anything, just nod or shake your head.”

Michael sniffled from where he was buried into, pulling his head back a little to be able to nod twice to him. He wasn't sure exactly what he needed to help him, but he knew Jeremy would help. He just felt so empty and gross.

“Okay. I know what might help: a bath. I’m going to run you one, you’re coming with me to the bathroom, and I’ll be sitting right outside it. You can keep your underwear on, I’ve got some that will fit you that you can have. Does that sound okay?”

He nodded again because a bath sounded more than OK. He hadn't had a bath in ages since his bathroom he shared with the others only had a shower in it.

Jeremy picked him up again and carried him away from the soft bed. When Michael was set down again, Jeremy spoke up. “I’m just going to run the bath, okay? I’m not going anywhere, I’m just going to be a couple of steps away.”

At this point, he felt like a broken record (but the moving-based kind... an automaton?) as he nodded yet again. Still, his throat felt too raw to speak without it hurting, he didn't want to test his voice out yet.

The sound of a bath running hit Michael’s ears a moment later, as well as the soft smell of orange blossom wafting through the air. It was something to focus on, something nice and gentle and familiar.

The bath was still running, but Jeremy was by his side again. “Let’s get you out of these, yeah?” He held up his hands and tapped Michael’s glasses first then gently tugged on his jacket.

Michael hated that he could only nod, but he did it again as he reached up, grabbing his glasses and taking them off. With the tear stains gone from his vision and blurriness being his only adversary, he was finally able to look around Jeremy's bathroom.

It was big, bigger than Michael was used to, but it was cozy somehow. The walls were a soft cream and there was a separate shower and bathtub (which was set in the middle of the bathroom). Michael could tell everything was very clean and well looked after, even without his vision being at one hundred percent.

Jeremy was very careful as he undressed Michael, to the point were Michael barely registered it until he was already in his underwear. Then Jeremy stepped away and turned off the taps. “The bath is ready for you, hun. Want me to help you in?”

He was sick of just nodding, so Michael tried to speak this time. "Yes please." It hurt his throat to say that and his voice sounded awful, but he was glad he spoke up. Michael just reached his hands up to Jeremy then for help, sure he was going to be wobbly and unsteady on his feet even with help.

Jeremy helped lift him to his feet, almost effortlessly, and guided him to the bath. Once Michael was sitting in the warm, sweet smelling water, Jeremy crouched down next to him and gently brushed his hair out of his face. “I’m going to sit right here and wait until you’re ready to either talk or get out. No pressure, no rush.”

Even if it hurt his voice again, Michael muttered, "Alright," as he settled back in the large tub. He reached his hand over to Jeremy then, this time making the grabbing motion.

Jeremy instantly took his hand, rubbing his thumb over Michael’s knuckles in a soothing motion.

Michael smiled at Jeremy then, leaning back in the tub and finding how there was a natural angle in the tub for that. Damn, this was a nice tub... and damn did this bath bomb smell divine. Oh, the water was nice and warm too. God, he forgot how much he loved baths.

Jeremy didn’t speak, but he did offer Michael some water after a while, holding out an open bottle for him to take if he wanted. Michael downed half of it in one go, not realising how thirsty he was. Jeremy accepted the bottle back with a small smile.

"Thanks," Michael managed to get out, his throat not hurting as much as before. Thank you, the power of hydration. He gently squeezed Jeremy's hand before saying, "How are you feeling?" OK, longer sentences hurt a bit more, even if it wasn't as bad as before, ow.

“Fine. One of them got a small hit on my chest, but otherwise no damage.” Jeremy shrugged.

"And how are you mentally feeling?" He winced as his throat hurt real bad that time before reaching for the water bottle.

Jeremy hesitated, looking conflicted, before sighing. “Hun, this is my_ job_. I’m used to it. Honestly, the only thing I really felt has been worry about how _you’re_ taking all this.”

"That doesn't mean you're used to what happened," he pointed out before drinking the rest of the bottle in one go. "With me, I mean. I don't think you've dealt with that before."

“Not with you,” Jeremy admitted. “I’m glad you’re okay. I was really worried something_ worse _might have happened to you.”

"But you left me the knife, so I'm not worse," Michael said before sliding down a little further into the fruity-smelling tub.

Jeremy nodded. “Yeah. You’re okay now.” He sighed, squeezing Michael’s hand. “I’m gonna be honest? If you’re looking for some deep, emotional confession about how much this disturbs me or something, I’m not going to be able to give it. I’m numb to it all, I have to be. And I have been for a very long time. I don’t _like_ that fact, but it’s the truth. This is my life, it’s all I’ve done for the past five years. And as horrible as it is, it’s one thing I’m very, very good at.” Jeremy did sound a little ashamed but more just... tired. He sounded so tired.

"I wasn't looking for one, but that sounds like a deep, emotional confession to me, even if it's not about how this all disturbs you." He squeezed Jeremy's hand back before looking up at him. "Hey, how long has it been since I started that bet with you?"

“Four days,” Jeremy responded with a small smile. He squeezed Michael’s hand again, looking somehow less tired than he had a moment ago.

"Well, when I lose this bet I made, I'm going to do my best to come up with the best date ever. I want to spoil you and give you all the love you deserve," Michael told him, bringing Jeremy's hand up so he could kiss the back of it.

“So not much then?” Jeremy asked, sticking his tongue out. His tone was light and joking but it still wouldn’t do.

Michael let out a sigh as he rested his head against the bathtub's edge, looking up at Jeremy with a pout. "Oh hello Mr.Self-Deprecation. I didn't know I invited you here. No, I'm going to give you more than you can imagine because you deserve it."

Jeremy looked down at Michael with a mixture of amusement and wonder. “You’re insane.” That sounded like an awe filled compliment. “How the hell did I get to be with someone so amazing?” Jeremy pecked Michael’s forehead.

"Well, you started off with stalking me after you didn't kill me, then you talked with me and took me out for lunch, and then-" Michael laughed as Jeremy's whines cut him off. "What? I'm explaining to you how it happened."

“Oh, so you’re allowed to be sappy but I’m not? I get it! I’m a stalker weirdo. Let me be sappy in peace!” he grumbled, pouting at Michael.

"Mm... I will let you be if you give me a quick kiss and get me those clothes you were telling me about," Michael proposed with a smile.

Jeremy looked _so_ pleased as he leant down and caught Michael’s lips in a kiss. He lingered for a moment before pulling back and standing up, letting go of Michael’s hand in the process. “I’ll be right back.”

"You better be, I'll miss you too much otherwise," Michael told him with a playful pout. He only just then refocused on the fact that Jeremy's clothes were bloody as he turned tail and left the bathroom.

A few minutes later, Jeremy reentered the bathroom in fresh clothes. His crisp khakis and clean white and pink pinstripe shirt fit him really well, and Michael’s eyes couldn’t help but wander a little. He was carrying what looked to be some new, black jeans, a dark red shirt of some description, and a warm looking hoodie.

He focused in on the clothes then before something clicked in his brain. "Wait, how did you have clothes for me already?"

Jeremy looked a little sheepish and he ducked his head. “I had already bought some. Maybe?” He blushed a dark red all the way down his neck and up to the tips of his ears.

"You can't just say you_ maybe_ already bought some clothes for me if you_ did_ do that already," Michael said before laughing, even if it hurt his throat a little. "Why?"

“I like looking after people I care about. And I care about you a lot,” Jeremy mumbled, setting the stack of clothes down and wandering over to a cupboard, pulling out a really soft looking towel. “I have a section for everyone I like. Yours is the biggest. So if these aren’t good, I have more you can use.” He was still half mumbling, which was adorable, and his blush hadn’t gone down in the slightest.

"Aww, you're sweet," Michael muttered out as he smiled at Jeremy. A thought hit him as he looked down at himself in the tub and then back at Jeremy. "Did you happen to get underwear for me too 'cause I don't know if it'll be a good idea for me to wear wet boxers."

“Yeah.” Jeremy nodded. “And clean socks. They’re all there.” He was still so flustered, how cute! He must not get called out on this very often.

“Thank you. You’re really sweet,” Michael told Jeremy with a tender smile. “If I didn’t have to help with a date- well, if _Karl_ didn’t have to help with a date, I’d ask to stay a bit longer.” Maybe even the night.

Jeremy flipped the towel over his shoulder and went back to crouching next to Michael. “Hun, you _are_ Karl. Sure, that part of you is a bit more wild and has a bit of a magic assist, but that’s still all you. Why else do you think I got so affected last time?” Jeremy asked with a small grin. He was still red but clearly calming down again.

“I mean... it doesn’t _feel_ like he’s me. I’m just sort of in the backseat while he does that. It’s weird to describe how it feels,” he muttered out as he looked up at Jeremy. “And hey, maybe you just really like choreographed dance sequences and being told you’re pretty like Trixie Tang from the Fairly Odd Parents.”

Jeremy chuckled softly at that. “I mean, it’s nice and all, but not really my thing normally. I definitely got a bit wild that night, but it only really happened when I realized you’re one and the same. I think you’ll find a lot of who Karl is already exists in you, if you let it out.” He sounded rather sure about that.

Maybe with the pop culture references and loving Jeremy, yes. “Agree to disagree, I guess. Show me proof later. Now-“ He playfully made grabby hands at Jeremy. “Please help me.”

Jeremy chuckled and stood up, grabbing Michael under the arms and lifting him out the bath almost without any help from Michael at all. He then proceeded to wrap Michael in the very soft and actually really warm towel, drying him off gently.

“Wow, alright, I forgot how nice it is to be toweled,” Michael muttered out as he shut his eyes, letting himself relax under the towel’s warmth and Jeremy’s gentle touches. “Also, it’s nice to be in a warm towel. _Really_ nice...”

“Only the best for you, sweetheart,” Jeremy cooed, leaning up and kissing Michael on the tip of his nose. “I redirected dinner to arrive here, so when you’re all dressed, do you wanna quickly eat before heading home?”

“Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks.” He thought for a second before asking, “Wait, do I get a tour of your place now? Or do I have to wait for the proper tour until I come to spend the night?”

“Which would you prefer?” Jeremy asked, quickly drying off Michael’s legs before standing again and wrapping the towel around him tightly.

Michael whined playfully at that, wiggling a little in the fluffy towel keeping him trapped. “I’d like to be as surprised as possible.”

“Then the tour can wait.” Jeremy ‘boop’ed Michael’s nose before kissing there and stepping backwards. “I’ll wait outside so you can get dressed, then we can eat, yeah?”

“Sounds good,” Michael said as he was finally freed from his fluffy burrito prison, letting it drop to the floor. “And... thanks again, Jeremy.”

“Of course, Mikey. I’m happy to help.”

Jeremy brought dinner into the bathroom, so Michael wouldn’t see his apartment. They sat on a fluffy towel with the lingering smell of orange blossom accompanying their meal. It was fun, and Jeremy’s bathroom was definitely big enough to fit them in easily.

Jeremy even covered Michael’s eyes on the way out to keep everything a surprise.

Even if it was a bit silly and if Jeremy kept him from seeing any interior of the apartment complex until they were turned away from and outside the building, Michael found it endearing. He happily walked with him back to his apartment, right to the door. “Thank you for walking me back, good sir,” Michael said in a silly voice as he grinned down at him. “These clothes are also super comfortable, holy crap.”

“I tried to find the most comfortable things I could...” Jeremy was blushing again, but he wasn’t trying to hide his face this time. “I’ll get your other stuff cleaned and back to you soon, yeah?”

“Thank you and thank you.” Michael bent down a little to capture Jeremy’s lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, yeah? I’m probably going to pass out after I help Brooke with her date until a few hours before work.”

“Want me to come check on you tomorrow?” Jeremy offered.

“Please. Also, I’d love to see you during work if possible.” He thought for a second. “Also also, are you going to stick around to watch me Sims logic Brooke’s date?”

“Spoilers, sweetheart,” Jeremy teased lightly. “But probably not, since we both know Karl won’t get anything done if I did.”

“I mean, he made a promise to Brooke. I don’t think Karl is heartless enough to break a promise.” Michael smiled down at him, pressing a quick kiss to his nose before standing up. “Well, I’ll see you later then. Be safe please. I’d also say to text me when you get home, but I dunno if you even have a phone. Well, you probably do...”

“I do, but I’m not giving you my number. Not safe to.” Jeremy sighed. “But I will let you know when I’m heading to bed via the Karl action figure thing you gave my boss. You know it when I’ve got it, it’ll turn back to you when you have the mask off?” He chuckled, nuzzling their noses together. “See you later, sweetheart.” A moment later, Jeremy was gone with no trace that he’d ever been there.

He let out a sigh before getting his keys out and unlocking his door, letting himself in. “Honeys, I’m hooome!”

“Michael Oliver Mell, where the _hell_ have you been?” Rich screeched as he stormed over to the entry. Brooke followed after him, looking relieved as she spotted Michael.

“Uh... I was out, that cute guy who kept visiting me at work who is now my boyfriend walked with me and we ate together,” Michael told him as he frowned. Why were they so upset?

Rich started fussing over him, seemingly checking him over for injuries. Michael was glad for the concealer Jeremy had given him to cover the bruises on his neck.

“We saw the news report about the bodies in the park. We tried calling you but you went straight to voicemail and Rich got worried since last time something like this happened, you guys lost... Jeremy,” Brooke explained, her voice dropping to almost an ashamed whisper for even bringing Jeremy up.

He did _not_ want to talk about this. Just the mention of the park made him exhausted, and the talk about when he first lost Jeremy... “I’m fine,” Michael told them as he started to walk to his room. He needed a distraction from this, he didn’t want to talk about this. Karl would help with that.

They both followed after him, clearly concerned. “Michael, you don’t _sound_ fine. C’mon, at least tell us about your new boyfriend. Is he the one who got you these new clothes?” Rich tried, obviously attempting to fix his mistake.

“Don’t you guys have to be worrying about Brooke’s date that Karl’s going to be helping with?” Michael bit back. Oh great, he was having an anxiety attack and was snapping at his friends. He _really_ needed Karl.

“How do you even know about that? We haven’t really seen you since _before_ that was set up.” Brooke squinted. Michael was already grabbing the key and unlocking the box. Damnit, he needed Karl to even try interacting with them right now. It wasn’t fair on them otherwise.

He took off the lock and put it and the key to the side as he opened the lid of the box. Brooke started to ask again as he took the mask out, but he really was _not_ in the mood to explain anything.

So Karl could help him with that.

Within seconds, Karl was out and ready to **par-tay**! He had a fabulous date to orchestrate and he just had _so_ many plans!

Brooke and Rich both looked rather windswept from the mini tornado that Karl always brought. Also confused.

“Wait, so Michael is Karl?” Rich asked, sounding so confuzzled and surprised.

Karl laughed at how surprised they both looked and Rich’s simple question. “Whenever he puts on that mask, _I_ come out and play. He’s sorta in here somewhere, watching and all that jazz.” He shook his head and it rattled for the few moments he shook his head. “_But_ that’s not the important event happening tonight, is it? Brookie, you aren’t even ready for your date and Chrissy is going to be here in two minutes! Let me fix you up, dear.”

Karl grabbed Brooke’s arm and spun her around. With her own mini tornado, Brooke was in a nice, pink dress with a yellow cardigan. Her hair and makeup were perfect.

Brooke blinked as she seemed to recompose herself, looking down at herself and then up in the full-length mirror that Karl provided. “Oh _wow_. But I still have questions-“

“No time for that, Brookie Cookie. _You_ have a date and my sidekick and I need to get into Sims Mode so I can help you rock this date.”

“Okay, I’m so down for that.” Rich grinned. Brooke looked over to him, confused.

“How are you so calm about this?”

Rich shrugged. “I’m chill with most things.”

“And _he_ knows where all of our priorities should be,” Karl added on as he wrapped an arm around Rich’s shoulder. “That is on you being able to stutter out more than a few words to the girl of your dreams.”

“No, it should be on you, Michael-“

“I am _Karl_, darling, not Michael.”

“Whatever! The focus should be on you and how you were able to transform into Karl and what happened to you earlie-“

_Ding-dong_.

Brooke shot ramrod straight and Karl _knew_ he had caught her. They could talk other details later when Brooke's love life wasn't on the line. For now, he had to make sure everything was _perfect_.

“Now, you go answer the door. Bi-Buddy and I will be helping you,” Karl told her, waving her off and out of Michael’s room. She hesitated before nodding and hurrying out.

With a smile, Karl held his hand out for Rich to take. “Quick, take it and spin.”

Rich did so without hesitation, grinning madly as he looked around. Karl knew Rich was seeing the GUI now, and he quickly pulled them both out of the bedroom and into walls down mode.

Christine was at the door, looking positively gorgeous in a teal dress and matching shall. She seemed a little nervous and Karl pulled up the known stats about her.

Theater lover, actress, bookworm. Huh, not much to go on. Still, with a bit of help, Brooke would soon fill out that character profile and woo her.

Karl could _easily_ work with this though. After all, Brookie deserved it and watched as she answered the door. He had to be quick though, Sims time always went faster, and it was already seven o’clock.

“Alrighty Bi-Buddy, you binged the Sims before. What do you think Brookie should first do?” Karl asked as he had Brooke wave and let Christine in, asking her how her day was. It was so cute to see Christine rave and talk so passionately when asked.

Rich thought for a second. "Stick to friendly interactions for now, get the friendship bar up higher. It's easier to get from good friends to lovers that way." He pointed it out. The bar was already a third full which, considering their limited interactions, showed that Christine was already interested and that they had a good chance of being compatible.

Rich indicated to the 'sit together' option on the couch, shooting Karl a questioning look.

Karl nodded as he tapped on it, watching as Christine sat down with Brooke on the couch. They both continued to talk for a bit as they lounged on the couch. He kept tapping the appropriate options for conversation pieces when they seemed to lull, and before he knew it, it was already a quarter past eight.

“They need to eat something,” Karl said, seeing Christine and Brooke’s hunger meters. They weren’t hungry _yet_, but by the time Brooke finished cooking, they would be. “Brooke has a level four cooking level, not as high as yours, but decent enough. What should she make?”

“Spaghetti,” Rich replied instantly. “It’s the highest level thing she can make, and she’s had enough practice with it normally. Plus, we know Christine likes it from her chat with Brooke on the couch.”

Karl nodded before bringing up that menu to have her cook. Brooke seemed to tell Christine what she’d be making, and the shorter girl absolutely lit up. “Thank you, sidekick,” he said with a grin as both girls went into the kitchen, continuing to chat as Brooke cooked. Christine hopped up onto the counter, sitting and talking as Brooke cooked-

Wait, was that a sliver of pink? Did the romance meter just appear underneath the friendship meter? Oh, they were cooking alright. 😉

Brooke tried to do a cooking trick, where she flipped the spices, but the container slipped and fell into the bowl. It didn't over-flavor the food, thankfully, but Brooke did gain an embarrassed moodlet. When Christine giggled, a new one all together appeared: 'Made crush giggle.' It was a mixture of flirty and happy. Good on Brooke!

There seemed to be an impressive amount of speech bubbles about llamas. Why was that? Even Karl didn’t understand what was so fascinating about llamas to make it such a hot topic in the Sims. Eh, it was only adding to the friendship meter, so whatever.

Once Brooke was finished cooking, she set the food on the side. It was Perfect Quality, score! They both took a plate and sat down at the dining table.

As they ate, they continued to talk, speech bubbles appearing over them for different things like acting, llamas _again_, the internet, dogs, and make-up. Good, they were doing well and it was nine at night now. Plenty of time to still do stuff if Karl and Rich played their cards right.

As soon as they finished eating, Christine seemed to get an idea. She started talking to Brooke, asked if she was single, and the conversation turned flirty.

"Christine is most certainly interested! Look at that convo bar!" Rich crowed.

Before Karl could even respond to his sidekick, Brooke decided to set herself to do an action as soon as Christine's action was done. Offer Rose. Karl decided to leave it.

Brooke seemed to pull a rose out of seemingly nowhere. She handed it over to Christine then, and Christine took it happily. The romance bar was slowly filling up, and more romantic options appeared in the menu.

Karl clicked the 'Compliment' option, and watched as the bar filled up faster. It wasn't even ten yet and they were doing so well. Thank you to natural chemistry and the simplicity of the Sims Romance mechanics.

Rich seemed to spot something and he got excited.

"Look! Christine is taking the 'Confess Attraction' thing already!" Well, by that point the bar was well over a third full. And the 'Kiss Hand' action just appeared in the options too.

Obviously, he clicked on that (Brooke would be too nervous and flustered to pick that herself). Brooke reached over, gently took Christine's hand, and kissed the back of it. Christine's face colored as she grinned and giggled. "Idea for what's next, sidekick?"

"Make a move?" Rich asked with a grin. Karl nodded and directed Brooke back over to the couch, where she did the classic 'yawning shoulder reach' trick. Honestly, Karl couldn't have pulled it off better himself, and that was saying something.

"I'd say in a couple more chunks we can make it 'Ask to go steady,'" Rich offered.

Karl agreed, and by the time that Brooke asked that, it was already half past ten. Christine eagerly agreed, and the text box appeared giving all the important details about what to do once someone has a partner. The two girls seemed so eager and happy, and Karl couldn't help but be a little cheeky as he had them exchange their first kiss before anything else.

"That was adorable!" Rich cooed, sighing happily as he watched. "I think Christine needs to go soon, though. She's got work in the morning, and if she doesn't go now, she'll be too tired by tomorrow."

"I was going to do that, but good thinking, Bi-Buddy," Karl said, patting Rich's head before getting the right string of commands ready to get Brooke to remind her of that. Before Christine left though, they gave each other a quick goodbye kiss and hug, Brooke closing the door after her.

Karl zoomed them both back into the apartment, grinning as he landed in front of Brooke.

She squealed, jumping a little bit. "I have a girlfriend! Thank you, Karl!"

"Of course, and you told her to text you when she got home safe, right?" Brooke nodded with a huge grin. "Good. Wait until she texts you and send her a goodnight text before going to bed. You have work tomorrow too, you know." Again, Brooke nodded as she went to her room, giggling her head off.

"I think I'm gonna head to bed too, dude. Thanks for another awesome night." Rich gave Karl a lazy salute as he too headed into his room.

Now normally, this would be when Karl went out and really had some fun, but he already went into this exhausted. If he kept going, it would be hell on earth for Michael in the morning (well, more than it'll already be). So... time for bed!

As he was about to take off the mask and vanish for now, Karl felt something like a kiss on the top of his head and heard the whisper of a goodnight from Jeremy. Aww, he must like the Karl Animated Action Figure! Well at least he knew Jeremy was home safe. Until next time, dear one!

Karl pulled the mask off and Michael almost fell over as exhaustion hit him.

  
Blearily, Michael stuck the mask back into the box and locked it up, then he fell onto his bed, still in the comfy clothes Jeremy had given him. He barely pulled off his glasses and stuck them on the side table before he was out like a light.


	6. The Results of the Bet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Lovelies! Mara here! I'm posting since Ari is out with friends. This chapter, well it has it all. Romance, friendship, a touch of pain, and that ever anticipated steamy scene we always seem to include.  
Jeremy reveals some of his past, Michael gets emotional and both the boys get some of the love they didn't know they'd been craving. Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here!  
We have a good bit of fluff after that serious angst. It was one of my favorite chapters for this fic. They deserve the world and this is a little snippet of that.

Michael couldn't help himself from whining as Jeremy patted his hand holding him close as they cuddled in bed, watching Netflix from his laptop. "Do you have to go already? It feels like it hasn't even been an hour," he grumbled from where he was lying back in bed.

"If I want to have my day off tomorrow, yes I do." Jeremy chuckled. "I need to go for a debriefing about my 'mission' since JT is getting a little concerned I'm not trying hard enough. I do that, though, and I'm totally free tomorrow." He nuzzled his cheek against Michael's, pressing a kiss there a moment later.

"Ugh, fine. I know I wanna spend our day off we both have together, so I can let you go for now." He squeezed around Jeremy's middle before reluctantly letting him go. "You better tell me how annoying he was tomorrow."

"Hun, he's not annoying. And you know everything you do as him, anyways." Jeremy sounded a little concerned. "You sure you want to put the mask on tonight? You're looking kinda tired already..."

Michael frowned. Well, he was_ going _to, but with Jeremy's reluctance on the idea... "If you don't think I should, I won't for tonight," he told Jeremy with the best reassuring smile he could muster.

Jeremy kissed him sweetly, lingering until Michael's head was spinning a little. "This isn't about me, sweetheart. I enjoy spending time with both aspects of you." A pause. "Since I can tell you want to, how about a deal? You can tonight, but tomorrow you don't. After all-" He kissed Michael's lips again. "I win. You owe me a date."

A laugh escaped Michael then and there. "I was wondering when you were going to tell me that," he told Jeremy before giving him a quick peck on the lips. "No, you don't think I should, so I won't tonight_ or _tomorrow. After all, I need to plan for our date. Mind if it's tomorrow?"

"I was hoping it would be." Jeremy chuckled again. "If you change your mind, I'll be at the Disco Mari again tonight so you don't have to tear up the city looking for me. But tomorrow I want to have it as a night where it's just_ you _romancing me as yourself."

"For sure. I'm gonna work up a list and leave the details of things I need out so if you wanna check by before you go back to your apartment, you can." Michael thought for a second. "Also, get ready for me to possibly stay overnight."

Jeremy lit up at that thought, his cheeks darkening slightly as his grin widened. "I look forward to it, hun. Lemme know how much you need, I promised to pay for this date after all." Jeremy kissed Michael again, lingering enough for it to be dizzying again. Damn, Jeremy was too good at that.

"I'll put it all on the list that I'll leave out for you, don't worry," he promised his boyfriend before pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Now you go deal with your boss so we can have a great day off tomorrow and an amazing night date."

"Bye, sweetheart," Jeremy cooed before slipping out the window onto the fire escape. He was totally gone from sight a moment later.

Michael sighed then, staring over at the chest where the mask was before shaking his head. No, he was coming up with this date himself and wooing Jeremy as _himself_, not as Karl. With that in mind, up Michael went, grabbing some loose notebook paper and starting to brainstorm the perfect first official date plan.

When Michael woke up the next morning, he felt better rested than he had all week. Waking up, to no work at that, was an amazing experience. He actually felt like he had gotten some sleep!

After slipping on his glasses and, after some debate, his hoodie, Michael checked the desk where he knew he left out the note for Jeremy. It was gone, and a harlequin rose (which Michael affectionately referred to as the gay rose) was in its place.

A smile overtook his face as he picked up the rose. He decided it would be best to get this in a small vase and to get breakfast before getting ready... Hopefully Rich and Brooke were both either asleep or out at this point.

As Michael made his way into the kitchen, his stomach dropped. Breakfast smelled delicious.

"Morning, Mell!" Rich chirped from where he was cooking up some bacon. "Breakfast will be ready as soon as the hashbrowns are done in the oven. Oh, what you got there? I didn't think you went out last night." Out of his two roommates, Rich had (unsurprisingly) taken to Michael being Karl the best.

"It's from my boyfriend, I sorta dropped it off before the whole date last night," Michael muttered out as he took his place at the breakfast bar, knowing he wouldn't be able to escape Rich. "When you're done cooking. I'm just gonna fill up a small vase and put this in there."

"There's a vase over on top of the fridge. Do it now, you got a minute before these are done." Rich bent down and checked the oven, nodding to himself.

Michael quickly went over to do that, quickly scooting by Rich and filling the vase up before getting it set up. He quietly waited because he knew Rich was going to ask _something_. The suspense (he was making up, honestly) was killing him!

"So, any plans for your day off? It's your first in a while, isn't it?" Rich asked cheerfully, pulling out the hashbrowns and transferring them into a bowl.

"Yeah, I'm planning on going and having a day out with my boyfriend and I might spend the night at his house since I'm gonna have our first official date there," Michael explained as he fiddled with the aglets (thank you, Phineas and Ferb) of his hoodie string.

"Oh, very nice. Do I, your third mama, get to meet said boyfriend any time soon?" Rich asked with a smirk. He placed the bowl of hashbrowns onto the breakfast bar and motioned to Michael. "Help yourself. The sausages are beef today, and I specifically didn't make any eggs since Brookie Cookie is already at work."

"Thank you." He quickly made himself a plate of food before he started eating. Really, he used getting it together as a way to give himself time to think. He couldn't let Rich meet Jeremy, not like this, not yet. Once he was out of this SQUIP business, yes, but not before then. "And maybe. I have to make sure everything's good before I can have him meet one of my mamas, you know."

Rich chuckled at that, nodding approvingly. "Damn right. He'd better be a keeper if you're bringing him home." He took off his apron (frilly pink, because that's just how Rich was) and started filling his plate as well. "But you'll promise you'll be careful? If he's not treating you right, I want to know so I can kick his ass for you."

Oh, yeah, like Rich would be able to kick Jeremy's ass now. Maybe back in high school... not now. Don't think about sad times, that'll ruin the date day! "I'll be careful, _mom_, and I'll let you know if he's not treating me right. I think he'd beat himself up first though if he started treating me wrong."

Rich chuckled at that. "Sounds like a good guy." He paused. "Sounds a lot like my boyfriend too, if I'm honest. Jake would kick his own ass before even _considering_ not treating me right." He let out a smitten sigh. "God, I love that man."

Wait, Jake? No way it could be _that _Jake though... right? "Well, I'm glad you got yourself a good man too, Richie. You deserve it." He ate the last few bites of his food then. "I need to get going though. Gotta look good for our day out together."

"Have fun, dude. And text me if you need anything, I've only got a short shift today," Rich called after him as Michael headed off to get ready.

Michael was waiting right outside of Seven-Eleven right at eleven (heh) in the morning. It was the first stop of many on their day together, and even if the date didn't technically start until they made it to Jeremy's apartment, he wanted to treat Jeremy right today. And taking him to Seven-Eleven for a run was the first stop of many.

"Hey there, cutie. Looking for someone?" Michael had long stopped jumping when Jeremy suddenly appeared. He was leaning against the wall just behind Michael, dressed in his blue puffy coat and what could only be described as business casual. More dressed down than normal but still pretty pretty formal.

"Yup," Michael said, popping the 'p' as he fully turned around to grin down at Jeremy. "I have a whole day of things planned for them, not just the date at his apartment like we planned. Think you have an idea on where the someone I'm looking for could be?"

"Nope, but I could fill in for them. Anyone who gets a day with you is surely blessed." Jeremy grinned, taking Michael's hand as he bowed, kissing the back of it. His smile, when he looked back up at Michael, was cheeky but honest.

He couldn't help but laugh at Jeremy's silliness before tugging Jeremy up to his feet. "Wow, you're a cheesy one, I think I'll keep you."

Jeremy stepped closer and Michael wrapped his arm around Jeremy's waist. "Mmm, yes please," he purred, kissing Michael sweetly.

After returning the kiss, Michael pulled back and smiled down at Jeremy. "Alright, well are you ready for our date day then?"

"So ready." Jeremy nodded, beaming up at Michael. "I'm guessing it's a Seven-Eleven run first? Because I am _seriously_ craving a blue slushie right now."

"Oh yeah. You're getting your blue slushie and I'm getting my red one. Also whatever other snacks you want, but the slushies are a _must_." With that, he opened the door to the Seven-Eleven (yay for cities for making Seven-Elevens their own little stores).

After grabbing a couple of snacks each (Jeremy still had the same favorites), they went up to the counter to pay for their slushie cups. Jeremy overpaid by quite a lot, and he told the kid behind the counter to keep the change for himself. The kid, who couldn't have been more than seventeen, looked at the fifty dollar bill in almost awe before thanking Jeremy.

Michael walked out with Jeremy then, the snack bag slung over his arm that wrapped around Jeremy's shoulder. "I don't know if Seven-Eleven cashiers can even really _take _tips," he mused out before gently squeezing around his shoulders.

"Normally, no. But the local manager and I have an understanding," Jeremy replied with a smirk. "If kids are gonna get in soul sucking jobs, they at least should be paid well for it."

"And you say you weren't sweet until you met me," Michael said in a cooing tone, bringing Jeremy closer and littering his head with fleeting kisses before drinking a mouthful of slush. Mm.

“Everything is all set up.” Jeremy nodded. “Also I thought you might like it.” He grinned, pecking Michael’s cheek before taking another slurp of his slushie.

"Thank you so much." He squeezed Jeremy's shoulders once more before taking a turn... Ah! There it was!

Michael hurried with him over to the arcade, grinning as he gestured to it with his hand holding his slush. "Here we are: the arcade."

“Yay! Video games and claw machines!” Jeremy cried happily. Honestly, he seemed even_ more _excitable than normal. It was cute, as well as infectious.

"Mhmm. This one even modified the older arcade cabinets so that, depending on what score you have, you get tickets. They have a nice, big prize corner too full of a shit ton of stuff," Michael told him, grinning down at Jeremy. Honestly, he wanted to kiss Jeremy and see how much happier he'd get, but he wanted Jeremy to play the games more.

“That’s so awesome!” Jeremy cried, turning to face Michael and kissing him quickly. It was enthusiastic and loving, and when Jeremy pulled back, his eyes were bright. “Let’s go play!”

If he was in Karl mode right now, Michael was sure he'd literally be on Cloud Nine with the 'charmed' effect. "Yeah, let's go."

Jeremy grabbed Michael’s hand and tugged him into the arcade, quickly heading to the change machine and converting some of his money to small coins. He handed Michael a pot containing maybe twenty bucks in change. “What should we play first? There’s so much to choose from!”

"Whatever _you_ wanna play first. I've been here enough times with Rich and by myself that I wanna see how _you_ play through this," Michael told him as he held the pot close.

Jeremy thought for a moment before running over to the Pac-Man machine and sticking in a quarter. “Pac-Man has always been one of my favorite games. I even have a tattoo from before, see?” Jeremy pushed up his sleeve to show Michael the very familiar tattoo on his arm. Michael had a matching one, but Jeremy must have missed it when he gave Michael that bath. They were both a little distracted, after all. Michael didn’t miss the small scars up and down Jeremy’s arm either. They looked old, but not self inflicted. More like he just got scratched up a_ lot_.

Unfortunately, that made sense with Jeremy's line of work. Despite that, Michael smiled and nodded as he looked over the tattoo. It had the ghost at the end of the pellet line while Michael had Pac-Man. After a second to think on it, Michael pushed his own sleeve of his hoodie up to show his own tattoo. He ignored the small scars of his own from when he couldn't stop scratching his arm after Jeremy went missing initially. They had to go back and re-ink his tattoo to cover up a lot of the marks once he was better.

Jeremy’s eyes went wide as he held their arms together, beaming up at Michael when he saw they connected perfectly. Then he frowned and pressed a kiss to Michael’s scars. “You don’t do that anymore, right?” he asked quietly, rolling his sleeve down. When Michael shook his head, Jeremy relaxed and leaned against him gently. “I’m glad. And I think it’s pretty cool our tattoos match up like that.” He was still leaning against Michael when he started up the game.

The fact that it didn't trigger anything for Jeremy made Michael's heart ache, just a smidge. Jeremy was happy so he would be too. He let Jeremy lean against him as he wrapped an arm around him, watching him play with a smile.

They spent a few hours at the arcade, managing to snag more tickets between them than Michael had ever managed alone. They bought a large Sandshrew plush with the tickets, which Jeremy clung to as Michael held on to him. It was easily over a foot high, so Jeremy kept burying his face against the soft Pokémon. It was too cute.

"I take it you're a big fan of Sandshrew too?" Michael asked with a laugh as they headed out of the arcade. It was getting closer to dinner time, so they were going to head back to Jeremy's apartment and Michael would start cooking dinner.

“Yup. It’s a cute Pokémon, and pretty strong too. Plus the Alolan form just adds another layer of awesome.” Jeremy’s voice was half muffled by the plush, but he looked so happy as he lead Michael through the streets to his apartment.

"Yeah, you're right on all accounts," he agreed. "Plus, he looks pretty cute all nestled up with you, so that's another bonus."

Michael could see that Jeremy’s ears turned a little red at that compliment. Cute. He couldn’t handle being called cute!

“He’s really soft and cuddly. I really love plushes and this one is my favorite, I think,” Jeremy confessed.

"Why is it your favorite? Because it's one of your favorite Pokemon?" he asked, watching Jeremy with a coy smile. If he knew anything about Jeremy, he'd try to turn it to be something mushy. Michael was _so_ ready for it this time!

“Well yeah, but also because I won him with you. And this date so far has been the most fun I’ve ever had.” Jeremy looked up at Michael with almost small stars in his eyes, they were so bright, and his smile was soft and his cheeks slightly pink. Michael was not ready for it.

God, and he thought he was ready for it! Michael had to rub at his face with his free hand. "Well damn, you need to have fun more often. Know that this won't be the last date day we're gonna have, just you wait."

“You’re so good to me, Mikey,” Jeremy cooed, hiding his face once again. “Normally I don’t leave my apartment when I’m on my days off. So this is almost a first for me.” They stopped outside a grand looking building. “Well, this is my complex.”

Michael took the apartment in then... And it looked more like this place had _very_ large apartments, which made sense. "OK, it makes sense now that you have a huge bathroom. It makes sense that you live here too with the cash you got," Michael muttered out as he walked in with Jeremy, taking in the grand, luxurious lobby with wide eyes. Hot damn.

“C’mon. Let’s get up to my place.” Jeremy tugged Michael into the elevator. Which had its own guard. Hot damn indeed.

The guard took one look at Jeremy, shot him a warm smile and a nod, and pressed the button on the panel. “I live pretty high up, so I get a really nice view from my apartment.” Jeremy explained. Michael was shocked that he couldn’t even hear the elevator moving, or feel it. When the door opened. They were faced with a simple front door a few steps ahead. There didn’t seem to be any other doors on this floor. Jeremy punched in a code and swiped a card and the door opened. He lead Michael in.

As soon as he walked in, Michael was floored. There was a high-ceiling living room to his direct left with the kitchen a little bit in front of him with a somewhat open plan, as it was cut off from most of the living room (and connected dining room, holy shit?) by a breakfast bar. Past the dining room, which was to the left of the kitchen, was seemingly the master bedroom. To the right, there was a small hallway, probably with a guest room and a study. And past the living room was a glass wall that lead to a covered patio that overlooked most of the city.

Holy_ shit_.

“So, er, yeah. This is my apartment.” Jeremy scratched the back of his head awkwardly, looking a little nervous. “What do you think?”

"This is _not _an apartment, this is a fucking_ penthouse_, Jeremy! It's insane, b-but in a good way, holy shit."

“So, you like it?” he asked, still sounding nervous. “‘Cause you’re welcome around whenever you like, now you know where it is. You... want a tour?”

"Yeah, I do. I'd love for you to show me around. This is like... quadruple the size of the apartment I have with Brooke and Rich, I think."

“I’m not sure. Maybe?” Jeremy offered weakly before taking Michael’s hand again and leading him around. “Well yeah, you can see the kitchen and living room and everything. And through here is my guest bedroom. I... usually use that when I have to charm a mark, so let’s not go in there actually. Down this way is my study though, which is pretty nice.” Jeremy lead Michael into what looked to be an old bedroom which had been converted. The walls were a warm red, and the desk seemed to be made of dark wood. It looked very fancy, and Michael found the contrast with the new tech to be almost comical.

"Well, I really like this room. Even if I like green more, the warm tones in here are really nice," Michael pointed out before looking back at Jeremy. "Did you decorate and convert this all by yourself?"

“I mean, kinda. It took a while, and I got professionals in for the moldings in the corners.” There were some fancy things in the corners for sure. “But yeah, I painted it and added all the furniture and stuff.” Jeremy seemed almost embarrassed.

"That's really cool, holy shit. You're a great interior designer." Had Jeremy been good at designing rooms in things like the Sims and stuff when they were younger? Yes, but never to this kind of level. Michael couldn't help but be proud.

“Thanks.” Jeremy was bright red now, hiding his face in the Sandshrew plush again. “Sorry for getting all flustered, I’ve just never really shown anyone my place properly.”

"It's fine, Jeremy. It's cute." He took one of Jeremy's hands then and smiled fondly down at his boyfriend. "Before I make dinner for us, I wanna see the rest of your place."

Jeremy nodded and lead Michael to his room.

The first thing Michael noted was that it looked like Jeremy’s old room scaled up. The walls were a gentle baby blue and the bed was set in the center. There was a door which lead to a closet, and a door leading to what was probably the bathroom. The massive bed had dark blue sheets, covered in constellations, and there was a desk in the corner dedicated to all Jeremy’s plushies. There were a lot, and the ones he was collecting from the roller rink had pride of place at the front. The Karl figurine, which was a Michael figurine at the moment, was curled up asleep on the top of the Inky.

The room was just missing the posters and his bed against the wall with his weird wall shelves behind it and then it would be _his_ room again. He had to keep himself from tearing up, instead just looking around in awe at everything. "This is so.... relaxing and tranquil. I really like this room, I think it's my favorite," Michael admitted as he looked back at Jeremy (now that he was sure he wasn't going to cry).

“I spend most of my time in here when I’m not playing video games,” Jeremy admitted. “And yeah, I have a lot of plushies.” He tugged Michael into the closet, flicking on the light. It was a walk in, as expected for a place this size.

“This section is here for you.” About a quarter of the space was dedicated to lots of comfy looking clothes, mainly in reds or greens. Michael barely noticed. He was too captivated by the item at the end of the closet.

There, hanging in a clear suit bag, was Jeremy’s favorite shirt and his special cardigan. They looked to be in near pristine condition, the only wear showing on the sleeves where Jeremy would fiddle with them and on the left hand side of the cardigan. A large tear ran up it, cutting straight through the M and making it unreadable, but it looked to have been skilfully repaired with the same sort of fabric.

“Oh... yeah. That’s my old clothes. From before,” Jeremy mumbled.

Well, that made sense now, at least, but... Michael had to rub roughly at his eyes to keep himself from crying. "It's so _you_," Michael said with a big grin, even if he was stopping himself from crying. "And you're so sweet, I..." OK, take a deep breath, Michael. "Sorry. I didn't realize this would be so much for me. It's good, of course, but just... Thank you for showing me this, even if you were meaning to show me the stuff for me."

Jeremy hugged himself close to Michael. Sandshrew had been left with the other plushies for now so Jeremy had both hands to use. “It... this is the most exposed I’ve ever been to anyone, you know that. So it means a lot to me that you’re so happy to see it too.” Jeremy sounded like he was fighting back his own tears.

Michael quickly turned around then, holding Jeremy closer and pressing a multitude of kisses to the top of his head. “Of course I am. Thank you so much.” He thought for a second before looking over at his own section. “Why don’t you show me some of the stuff you bought for me?”

“S-sure.” Jeremy nodded, pulling away from Michael only enough to grab some of the clothes and swing them on their hangers. “S’all comfy stuff, but it looks good too. I even got some specially made because I thought the design would be nice on you but the fabrics weren’t comfy,” he mumbled, still sounding a little worked up.

“Thank you for doing that.” He could tell he needed some time to think, so he gave Jeremy a gentle squeeze. “Hey, why don’t you go and get all cleaned up? Nice and comfy, yeah? I’ll start working on dinner since it’ll take _some_ time to make. Not a lot, but at least some time.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jeremy chuckled wetly. “How long do I have? So I don’t spend_ hours_ in the shower.”

“Mm... half an hour to forty five minutes? It doesn’t take_ too_ long,” he guesstimated before rubbing his back. “If you’re done before then, get out a blanket or two you think would be nice to snuggle in.”

“Sure.” Jeremy kissed Michael’s nose before detaching himself. “I’ll go get comfy, you start dinner. I’ll be back soon, ready for you on the couch,” he promised before vanishing out of the closet.

Smiling at his retreating form, Michael let himself linger for a few more seconds, looking at his shirt with that silly frowny face and his cardigan before going to make dinner.

It was simple. Make the taco meat from ground turkey, add a somewhat spicy seasoning mix hand-made from the spices Jeremy already had, and heat up the soft and hard tortilla shells (hard for Jeremy, soft for himself). Dice up some tomatoes and shred some lettuce for Jeremy and make a few homemade sauces to drizzle. After setting out the taco bar with some sour cream and shredded cheese, it was all ready.

Michael felt a small bit of pride swell in his chest. When he dated Dustin, he learned how to make all this in his dorm since it had a kitchen. He also learned how to cook a few more things, but this was his best dish by far. Hopefully Jeremy thought so too.

Speaking of, Jeremy popped his head out of his bedroom door. “Is that homemade tacos I smell? It smells really good!” he asked with a grin. When he stepped out from his bedroom, Michael was glad he wasn’t holding anything because he would have dropped it.

Jeremy’s hair was a mess. Not that he had a bedhead, but it was natural and a little frizzy, like it always was when it was cold. His glasses perched crookedly on his nose, not sitting perfectly thanks to the slight twist from when he had broken it when they were eight. And he was in his clothes. The shirt was a little tighter than it had been, it no longer hung off him. Instead, it fit perfectly and showed off a little of his definition, and the cardigan had the obvious repair. The jeans were a little different too, and Jeremy had socks on instead of his old converses, but it was_ him_. Just like he used to be. Michael’s best friend, back again and all grown up.

It took all that Michael had to not just run over and hold Jeremy close, to shelter him from the world and almost hoard him to make sure Jeremy never got taken away again. Instead of doing that, Michael swallowed the lump in his throat and walked over to Jeremy, teary-eyed for sure. He cupped Jeremy’s cheeks and let a few tears drop. “You... you look like _you_. Not a SQUIP, not an assassin, not a rich guy... you look like Jeremy, Remy, like _you_. Oh my god.” He didn’t care if his throat tightened up or if he looked like a blubbering baby for little to no reason.

“This... this_ is_ me. Who I was _and_ who I am,” Jeremy replied, sounding like he was also getting choked up. “I don’t know why I’m crying, but this... this feels important.”

"It is," Michael told him with a watery laugh. "It i_s_ you, then and now." He rested his forehead against Jeremy's then, just soaking this all in. He needed to before he could move on. This right here, _this_ moment... It would help him get through whatever hell came on the way to get Jeremy out of the SQUIP industry.

Jeremy squirmed a little as his muscles went taut. Then Jeremy grabbed the back of Michael’s hoodie, almost desperately, as he rode out whatever had just hit him.

He just held Jeremy close then, moving his hands from his cheeks to around him. Even when he relaxed, Michael didn't let go. "Are you alright?"

“Memory,” Jeremy croaked out. He kept his face pressed against Michael’s chest.

"Do you think you can talk about it, or do you need to go sit down? I can make you your food and bring it over to you," Michael offered.

“M’okay. It was... there was just lots of emotions in it. Little overwhelming.” Jeremy took a breath. “I was being held. Hugged. The person was a guy, I think, and he was bigger than me. All I remember from the visuals was... red. Red and soft. But there was a lot of emotions. Care. Trust... love. There was someone... before, I think. Even if you’re the one now, someone else was before,” he admitted quietly. “M’sorry. You’re it for me now, I promise. I don’t want anyone else. Just you.”

Jeremy loved him before too? It's the only thing that made sense... Still, that wasn't what he needed to focus on right now.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," Michael promised him, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "You don't need to worry, Jeremy. Just take a few deep breaths and calm down... I'm not worried, so you don't need to worry, alright?"

Jeremy nodded, taking some deep breaths and relaxing in Michael’s hold. “Sorry for freaking out, Mikey,” he murmured. “You just really mean a lot to me and I don’t want to give you any reason to think that I’m not in this one hundred percent.”

"No, no, it's completely understandable," he reassured Jeremy. "You're remembering things, which is good. I know how you feel now and how you feel about me." He nuzzled against Jeremy's head. "Just take your time, yeah? Remembering seems to be a lot for you, and I don't wanna rush or push you, especially accidentally."

Jeremy nodded again, just clinging to Michael for a moment longer. He relaxed more and more until he was practically boneless, leaning against him heavily. “Okay, I feel alright now. Can we go eat please? I don’t want your food to go cold, it smells so good.”

"I literally just finished it all when you came out, so it won't get cold or anything," Michael told Jeremy before giving him a gentle squeeze. "Come, see my spread that I have made for us both. I promise that, for a college student's abilities, it is grand and glorious."

“It smells amazing. Is it... turkey? Turkey tacos?” Jeremy asked as he pulled away enough to start walking to the breakfast bar, but still staying close enough that he was almost in total contact with Michael. Well he _sounded_ a bit better anyway.

"Yup. I also cut up some tomatoes and lettuce for you since I notice you like those on your stuff. I also put out some sour cream, cheese, and some homemade sauces I thought you might like to try," he told Jeremy, walking with him over to where his spread was, well, spread out. "I also got hard and soft taco shells heated up, so they won't be too hot to use now since they had time to initially cool off."

“Looks like we’re set. Thanks for dinner, Mikey!” Jeremy grinned, taking a bite at Michael’s insistence after making himself a taco quickly. He chewed for a moment before he shut his eyes and basically moaned. “God, this is so good, Mikey! You did_ not_ tell me you could cook.” He chuckled after finishing his mouthful, quickly taking another bite.

"Well, there's never been a chance for me to say anything, and this is the best dish I make. Don't set your standards high," Michael told him before getting his own tacos ready. "I'm glad you like it though. I thought it would be a nice, easy dish that you could customize easy. Plus, if there are any leftovers, it's easy to reheat-"

Jeremy cut him off with a kiss to his cheek. “Hun, you’re rambling. It tastes good. I really like it. Thank you.” Jeremy chuckled again.

"Oh, uh, sorry." He quickly shut up then and ate a bite of his own taco. Delicious, thank god. "But yeah, easy leftover dish. Glad you like it." Before he could ramble again, he took another bite.

Dinner passed without too much fuss after that. Jeremy made it a point to continuously compliment Michael’s cooking, and then calm him down again when he started rambling.

Once they had both finished eating, Jeremy picked up the plates, put them to wash, and headed over to the main fridge. “I dealt with dessert,” he announced. A moment later, he turned around with two slices of cake with an orange powder decorating the top. “It’s a lemon drizzle cake, with orange sherbet topping. And I have lemon sorbet if you’d prefer that, since I know you like citrusy stuff.” He set a plate in front of Michael and sat back in his seat.

Michael was sure his eyes were as wide as the plates their dessert was on. "I'll take the lemon sorbet too, but this is... oh my god, this is so sweet, literally and metaphorically, I guess?" He turned in his chair to peck Jeremy quickly on the cheek. "Thank you."

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” Jeremy looked exceedingly proud of himself. “And it’s fresh too, I picked it up before I came to meet you this morning.” He quickly scooted around the kitchen and sat back down with a small bowl of sorbet for Michael. “I just wanted to make sure you get what you deserve: the best.” He nodded to himself before taking a mouthful of the cake.

"But this is supposed to be the date where _I'm_ romancing _you_, not the other way around. I was hoping it would be the other way around for our next date, really," Michael muttered out. Once he realized what he said, Michael quickly stuffed his mouth with some of the cake- holy fuck was that amazing.

“Believe me when I say I have been truly and utterly romanced, sweetheart.” Jeremy chuckled. “And I plan on romancing you as best I can next time, that hasn’t changed either. I just also like spoiling you a little whenever I can.” Jeremy pressed a kiss to Michael’s cheek.

He couldn't help but lean into the kiss, shutting his eyes before Jeremy pulled back. "Yeah, my own section in your big walk-in closet wasn't enough of a hint," Michael teased before eating some sorbet.

“Hey, I have more money than I know what to do with.” Jeremy chuckled, his cheeks lighting up. He took another bite of his cake to hide how flustered he was.

"I can tell." The small punch against his shoulder was light, playful, and painless. Michael just beamed as he eventually finished off his dessert, feeling content and full.

"So, what do you wanna do now, Remy?"

Jeremy hummed in thought before nodding. “I wanna go snuggle for a bit. I just wanna be close to you.” He smiled softly.

“I have an idea.” Michael grinned. Jeremy looked intrigued. “Blanket nest.” You could almost see the stars in Jeremy’s eyes.

“Yes! On my bed since it’s really big and I have a lot of soft blankets and pillows and-“ He obviously liked the idea.

Michael quickly cut_ him _off with a kiss this time. "You get all the soft blankets and pillows, call me in for support if you need it. I'll quickly put the rest of the dishes in the dishwasher after rinsing them off and then we can make the blanket nest together, yeah?"

Jeremy nodded and dashed off, running between the closet by the front door and the master bedroom, arms ladened with _plenty_ of soft blankets. Oh, this was going to be awesome. Jeremy then was darting between the bedroom and the couch, grabbing all the throw pillows and cushions he could carry each time and marching them back to the bedroom. He looked about as excited as a kid on Christmas- or well, Hanukkah, since he was Jewish. Was Jeremy still Jewish? Michael would need to find that out.

Finally, Michael had finished putting everything into the dishwasher and he headed into the bedroom. Jeremy stood inside the ring of soft and fluffy chaos, grinning and red in the face with how much fun he seemed to be having.

Michael couldn't help but laugh fondly at the sight before him. "Oh my god, you look so happy and adorable," he snickered out as he walked over to him. "Are we ready to start making the blanket nest now? I would like to, even if you look so adorable like this."

Jeremy pushed up his glasses and nodded excitedly. He picked up a small stack of cushions, not even noticing when one dropped off the top as he tottered over to the bed.

Instead of telling Jeremy, Michael just snickered as he picked it up and carefully put it on top of his stack. He followed along after Jeremy, holding a few pillows and carrying some blankets over his shoulders.

Jeremy had climbed up onto the bed and was arranging the pillows around him, trying to judge how big to make it. “We have lots of pillows, but I also really want it to be cozy and just big enough for the two of us,” he mused, taking the pillows from Michael and placing them on the bed. He then pulled Michael onto the bed and manoeuvred him to a satisfactory position, then curled up next to him for a second.

A moment later, Jeremy nodded and got back to arranging the stacks of pillows.

The whole thing had Michael laughing, especially with how seriously Jeremy was taking this. He waited until Jeremy put the pillows down to start properly draping the blankets in a way approved by Jeremy. He stepped back then, waiting for his boyfriend to come back with more supplies. "How's this?"

“It’s looking good! Now we just need to build up the sides a bit more.” God, this is just like when they’d make blanket nests when they were kids. Jeremy was always so determined to make them to be the most cozy and most comfortable things possible.

"Guide me, I don't want to mess up your flow or mojo or anything." As he said that, Michael grabbed some more blankets and pillows and brought them over to his big bed (it was probably a king-size bed, wow).

“Stack up the pillows like this on that side, and tuck the blankets around them to help them keep their shape.” Jeremy pointed to a section and kept going on the area he was working on. Michael chuckled and did as he was told. After he was done, Jeremy came back with an armful of blankets. “Now we just layer these over until it’s cozy.”

"Oh, I can_ definitely _do that." Michael took the blankets and started to layer them, but made sure they wouldn't overheat in their pillow nest, as he properly layered and distributed them. This was always the part he was best at as a kid.

Jeremy seemed to know to stay back and let Michael do this part, watching on with a proud smile. His cheeks were still flushed with his utter joy and his hair was a mess from how the blankets and pillows had rubbed against it. It was honestly looking like a dream come true.

Once he finished, he pulled back and beamed. "What do you think?" As he asked, he turned to look fully at Jeremy.

“It looks perfect...” Jeremy murmured, climbing into the nest after Michael. He snagged Michael’s glasses and took off his own, setting them down outside the nest, before curling up and resting against Michael’s chest again. He lay practically boneless on him. “Feels perfect too.”

The sight and sensations of everything was pure bliss. Michael wrapped his arms around Jeremy before pulling one of the blankets over them. "I'm glad you think so," he almost hummed before squeezing around Jeremy's middle.

“Today’s been the best day,” Jeremy mumbled, sounding content. “My favorite day with my favorite person.” He sighed, somehow seeming to melt further against Michael.

His heart was melting and Michael never wanted to leave this moment, it was official. "I feel the same way," Michael echoed a little before resting a hand lazily in Jeremy's floofy mess that was his hair.

Jeremy was practically purring, Michael could feel the contentment and happiness and relaxation rolling off him in waves. Then Jeremy shifted and started pressing gentle kisses to Michael’s neck, just soft, lingering kisses, nothing too intense. They matched the soft, sweet mood hovering over them.

He practically melted at the soft motions and touches, his hands and fingers idly moving along and through Jeremy's hair all the while. "Mm... That's so nice, Remy, thank you."

Jeremy scooted closer at that little bit of praise, his kisses becoming a little firmer. He hummed softly as he continued.

Michael kept running his fingers through his locks, letting out a soft sigh as he craned his neck a little to give him more room to work with.

Jeremy’s kisses started to linger longer, the touch much firmer. He began trailing them around, trying to find a good area to make Michael feel good. When he found it, indicated by Michael’s small hitch in his breathing, he kissed there over and over, eventually giving it a small, gentle nip before falling still, silently asking for permission to continue like that.

"Yeah, yeah," Michael urged as the hand against his middle flattered against his shirt. "Just know 'm gonna be doing the same back to you, whatever you do."

“Oh, yes please.” The way he said it was almost close to begging before Jeremy started working in earnest on that spot, nipping and sucking and kissing it, keeping an eye on Michael’s reactions the whole time.

His eagerness had him laughing initially, but as his ministrations grew in variety and intensity, Michael's laugh cut off and a few soft gasps replaced it. "Oh _god _Remy, this is so good... so good."

Jeremy quickly soothed that area with plenty of soft kisses before trailing more around, searching for another area to work on. He found it and didn’t even hesitate before starting another hickey.

The hand flush against his middle bunched up then, the shirt held tight in his fingers as he let out a small groan. "Yes, like that."

Jeremy seemed to grow bolder with that, his ministrations turning a little harsher as he made the mark darker. His own small groan echoed Michael’s, making it clear that he was enjoying this just as much.

“You’re just doing to me what you want done t’you now, aren’t you?” Michael teased after Jeremy finished that mark, as he lavished the area with kisses.

“I mean, that’s part of it.” Jeremy chuckled, trailing kisses up Michael’s neck and along his jaw. “But I just thought that you’d look _really_ nice with some marks on you.” He pecked at Michael’s lips. “I was right.” And then he connected them properly, coaxing Michael’s lips to move with his own gently.

Michael was practically beaming against Jeremy’s lips as the kiss lingered. They continued this for a while, Michael’s hand trailing down to rest near the bottom of Jeremy’s shirt hem. When they finally pulled back though, Michael laughed breathlessly up at his boyfriend. “You’re amazing.”

“So are you.” He grinned, but it faltered a little when Michael tugged lightly on the hem of his shirt. “You... you’re welcome to touch there, but... it’s not nice. I’ve... SQUIPs end up with a lot of scars so it’s... rough. Most of my skin is covered.” He looked away, sounding a little nervous. Was it because of bad memories or was he worried about Michael judging him?

“If you think I’m going to judge you or treat you less than I do now because of these scars and marks, you’re dead wrong,” Michael informed him, giving him a peck on the lips before slowly moving up Jeremy’s shirt. He didn’t go more than a careful, cautious pace in case Jeremy wanted him to stop.

Jeremy shivered at the gentle touch, eyes falling shut and his cheeks blushing red. He arched into the feeling, relaxing as Michael gently ran his hand up and down the planes of Jeremy’s back. He could feel the scars, and the muscles, underneath his fingertips, but they didn’t put him off. This was just a part of Jeremy and sure, Michael hated that he’d gotten so hurt in the first place, but he wasn’t going to reject him because of them. Or love him in spite of them, because they weren’t detracting from his worth as a friend or as a partner. They were just part of him, and Michael loved Jeremy. So he’d made sure to love each and every scar with him.

With that in mind, Michael gently moved his lips down, away from Jeremy’s. He pressed them tenderly against the first scar near the top of his chest, making sure to get each and every one with an adoring kiss. “If any of this makes you uncomfortable, please let me know,” Michael asked of him after the first quick kisses.

Jeremy, eyes still closed, nodded without hesitation. His expression was a little slack, as he tried to process, but he didn’t seem uncomfortable. More like he was allowing himself to be vulnerable. Maybe for the first time in a long time. Maybe ever.

Michael went and kissed every scar then, trying to count each one so he knew how many to kiss next time. He didn’t like how many there were, but it just made him think that Jeremy needed the love in all these places. If they were marks of doubt, hatred, or hesitation, Michael was going to change that.

Small sighs, whimpers, and whines, all good sounds, were escaping Jeremy’s lips as his hands clung on to Michael. One moved up and tangled gently in his hair while the other gripped tightly into his shirt. He was squirming slightly, but he didn’t once make any discomfort known to Michael. And he didn’t show any either, clearly enjoying the attention even if he didn’t know how to process it.

He continued to slowly move his lips down Jeremy’s body. Eventually, he managed to kiss all eighty scars on the front of his body. “Is it alright if I kiss your side, then your back and then the other side? I want to count every mark so I know how many I need to kiss next time I do this and the time after.”

Jeremy nodded, releasing Michael’s clothes and untangling his hand so he didn’t pull. He let Michael direct him, moving when prompted. He didn’t open his eyes.

Jeremy’s side wasn’t too bad, with only five scars, but his back was so much worse than his front. By the time he had kissed all the scars back there, he had counted ninety-seven. His other side was also relatively clear, only having eight.

One hundred and ninety scars on Jeremy’s torso. Michael had kissed and adored them all and Jeremy was lying down beneath him, practically putty. He looked blissful, eyes still closed, and so relaxed and happy.

Before he did anything further, Michael looked down at Jeremy. He reached a hand up, cupping one of his cheeks and gently rubbing there. “Hey, Remy. How are you feeling?”

Jeremy turned his head to lean into the touch. His eyes fluttered open and he smiled softly up at Michael. “So good, Mikey. So loved and just- I feel amazing. _Thank you_.” He sighed, pressing a kiss to Michael’s wrist and bringing up a hand to hold on to Michael’s.

“Of course. You deserve every little kiss,” Michael told him before pressing a few kisses across his face. “What else do you want me to do, Jeremy? What you did to me or anything else that you didn’t do?”

“Please, leave a couple of marks. And whatever else you want, I trust you. I’ll tell you if it’s too much, but I trust you, Mikey.” Jeremy leaned up slightly to capture Michael’s lips in a gentle, sweet kiss.

After they broke apart from the kiss, Michael nodded before slowly moving down to kiss against the hollow of Jeremy’s neck. He wanted to be slow, to see where was the best and second best. He’d start with the second-best so he could save the best for last.

Jeremy arched head head back as far as he could without making himself uncomfortable, giving Michael plenty of room to explore. It didn’t take him long to find the two best spots, one nearer Jeremy’s collarbone and the other just below his jaw. After deciding that the higher one was more sensitive, Michael started work on the lower one.

He moved the hand from Jeremy’s cheek to his chest, gently rubbing as he sucked and nipped at his boyfriend’s collarbone. A few more kisses were pressed once he left a nice, dark hickey before shifting to under Jeremy’s jaw. Before he started, Michael asked, “How is this so far?”

Jeremy’s small whine was high and almost broken sounding as he tilted his head to the side. “So good, sweetheart. Please keep going,” he begged softly.

Never did he think that he’d get to see Jeremy like this. He was going to savor every second of this.

Michael ducked down, slowly kissing before sucking on the skin there. His hand moved up, cupping the other side of Jeremy’s neck and rubbing along the hollow of it, gently and slowly.

Jeremy was gripping tightly to the back of Michael’s shirt as he whimpered and whispered out hoarse praise and encouragement. He was squirming slightly, but seemingly making an effort to stay still so Michael could continue.

After some time, Michael pulled back once he made sure the mark was dark and deep. He lavished the area in kisses before resting his lips gently against the area. “How was that, Jeremy?”

“I certainly feel it, right now.” Jeremy chuckled. Then he seemed to think of something. “Can I do anything more for you? You’ve been spoiling me and I didn’t ask about you.”

He looked up at Jeremy then, sighing softly. “Whatever you want to do, as long as I’m alright with it. But I’m sure I’ll love whatever you do.”

Jeremy shifted them so he was lying on top of Michael fully, careful to not be too heavy on him. He began peppering Michael’s face with gentle kisses, lingering on his cheekbones and even going so far as to gently kiss Michael’s eyelids. Then he connected their lips, coaxing Michael to move in a slow, almost lazy rhythm.

Michael gently ran his arms along Jeremy’s back as they got into that rhythm. It was soothing and heartwarming. He couldn’t help but be lulled into a gentle, adoring sense of security. Plus, Jeremy’s weight on top of him, the pressure, was so _amazing_.

When Jeremy finally pulled back so they could catch their breath, he flopped his head down next to Michael’s. His warm breaths fanned gently over his cheek and neck as Jeremy peppered kisses where he could reach.

“I love you, Michael,” he murmured between kisses. “I love you so much. To the point where nothing else seems as real and as true as this.”

The warmth and love Michael felt in that moment was almost too much. Jeremy _loved_ him. It was almost overwhelming in the best of ways. “I love you too, Jeremy, so much. I never thought I could love someone this much until I met you.”

Jeremy’s kisses slowed until he was just resting with his lips against Michael’s skin. He was boneless against Michael once again, waves of contentment and love rolling off of him. He tugged the blanket back over the both of them, cuddling closer to Michael. “S’it okay if we sleep like this tonight?” he asked softly.

“I would be so happy to sleep like this tonight.” Michael’s hands rested flat and steady against Jeremy’s bare back. “I just... I got work at noon, so y’know...”

“I know. I’ll make sure everything’s sorted,” Jeremy mumbled, already sounding like he was falling asleep. “Love you, Mikey.”

Even if Michael felt himself falling asleep too, the little rush of joy those words gave him wasn’t dulled. It gave him a smile to fall asleep with.

Maybe one day, this could happen every night.

“Love you too, Remy.”


	7. Things Don't Always Go Your Way, Even if You're Karl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Lovelies! Mara here again!
> 
> This chapter... well it starts out perfect, but ends... Well not everything can go Karl's way all the time, right? Sometimes bigger isn't always better and sometimes hard truths need to be dealt with before you can become the best version of you. Enjoy.
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person :3
> 
> Hey guys, Ari again!
> 
> I’m in NYC today on a school Broadway trip. Seeing DEH so I’ll get to see what all the fandom fuss is about. 
> 
> But this isn’t about DEH. It’s about BMC and these boys. This chapter... it’s good, but has a painful tang to it. Watch out!

Waking up in the somewhat messy blanket nest (it turned more into a pillow-and-blanket pile) with Jeremy resting on top of him was the best wake-up Michael ever had. Jeremy was already awake, running his fingers through his hair. It was sweet, serene, and so domestic.

Both of them just soaked this in, this blissful feeling, until they knew they had to start getting ready for work. Michael let out a sigh as Jeremy got up, and he followed. He showered (he never had a rain shower head before, it was certainly different) and dried off, getting the clothes Jeremy set out for him on the bed and changing into them. They were comfy, from the jeans to the underwear.

Out into the kitchen he went, sitting at the breakfast bar and crossing his arms there to cushion his head. Michael just groaned sleepily instead of giving a proper greeting to Jeremy. Hey, sue him, he wanted to stay in bed with Jeremy forever. The real world sucked.

Jeremy draped himself over Michael and kissed the top of his head. “Someone’s not a morning person. You want pancakes?” he asked, giving Michael a squeeze and not moving off him yet.

“I’m not when I don’t wanna leave bed...” He let out a sigh though, relaxing utterly under Jeremy’s touch and pressure against his back. “I’d love some pancakes though. Thank you, Remy.”

“Of course, sweetheart.” Jeremy pressed another kiss to Michael’s head before getting up and heading over to the cupboard. “And for the record, I didn’t want to get up either. You’re really comfy to sleep on.” He giggled, starting to pull out ingredients.

“You’re really comfy to sleep with,” Michael agreed around a yawn before burying his head further into his crossed arms.

“Thanks.” Jeremy giggled again, already mixing things. “Chocolate chip or strawberry? Or both?”

“Surprise me.” Michael needed more time for his brain to properly boot up before he could make choices as difficult as what Jeremy just gave him.

“Sure.” For a little while they just existed in silence, the only sound being Jeremy cooking. It was comfortable and warm, familiar. It also gave Michael a chance to wake up a little.

When he glanced up, Jeremy seemed to be very precisely placing strawberries into the pan.

A few minutes later, a small stack of pancakes was placed in front of Michael. There was one with strawberries in the shape of a heart, one with a smiley face of chocolate chips, and a space invader made from both. It was cute how much effort Jeremy put into them. Jeremy’s stack seemed to be pretty normal in comparison.

“Hey, why didn’t you make yourself special pancakes?” Michael asked as he slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. “Also, thank you for my special pancakes.”

“Because you’re my most special person. And I’m trying to romance you, not myself.” He chuckled. “Also you’re welcome.” Jeremy leaned over and kissed Michael’s cheek, then scooted his stool closer so they could be shoulder to shoulder.

“Just ‘cause you aren’t romancing yourself doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself,” Michael muttered out around another yawn. He looked over his choice of pancakes then before deciding to save the best (Space Invaders) for last. For now, he was eating the heart. Take that.

“I _am_ treating myself. I got a whole day I spent with you,” he cooed in return, starting on his own stack with a cheeky grin.

“I mean with spicing up your pancakes too, dipwad,” he cleared up, though Michael knew he didn’t need to. Jeremy was being sappy and a little shit.

“I know. I just like seeing you get worked up.” He grinned, taking a bite. Then he seemed to remember something because he stood up and hurried over to the fridge, returning a moment later with two glasses of chocolate milk.

“You’re_ really_ spoiling me now. I only splurge on a small half gallon if the paycheck was extra good.” Michael leaned against Jeremy after he set down their drinks. A thought popped into his head. Well, Jeremy said it first last night, and he said it back. Time to normalize it.

“Love you, Jeremy.”

Jeremy blinked slowly, as if startled by that, before his grin turned even happier than before. “Love you too, Michael,” he murmured almost shyly, pressing another kiss to Michael’s cheek.

The rest of the morning passed peacefully. Parting really_ was_ such sweet sorrow. Regardless, Michael knew he would see Jeremy later, so it wasn’t so bad. He kept that in mind, along with their whole date day, as he started his shift at the rink.

A decent flow of patrons came along, and Michael kept his customer service attitude up until a familiar face caught his eye. “Hey Derek.”

“Hey, Michael...” Derek sounded a little... nervous? Why? “When’s your break? I... need to talk to you about something. Something important.”

“Uh...” Michael checked the clock to be sure. “In, like, twenty or so minutes. Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine.” Derek waved him off. “It’s just a bit of a touchy subject and I’m not quite sure how to word things.” He sighed after a moment. “Let’s just say my dad is_ still _embarrassed to have been caught in your choreography.” Derek looked away.

Wait... _his_ ch- Oh... Oh no, did he know? How did Derek know? What gave it away? “Oh, uh, well that sucks for him. Sorry about that.”

“Don’t apologize about it, dude. I was laughing my ass off for days.” Derek chuckled. “But we do need to talk. And don’t worry, I haven’t told anyone.”

Well that was at least some upside to this. Michael just nodded in response before Derek went to seemingly preoccupy himself until Michael’s break, heading right to the arcade.

Derek was fiddling on his phone until then. He looked up when he heard Michael. “Hey, is there somewhere private we can go? I have a feeling this is something you want to keep on the down low.”

Michael let out a heavy sigh as he took out a few tokens and put it into the crane machine. He saw the white spooked ghost still there. "Just... in a sec, let me get this."

“Sure thing dude.” Derek sounded a lot more relaxed now, so Michael found himself relaxing as well. He got the ghost after three tries.

Taking it out of the prize slot, he held it close before nodding over to the break room. "In there. Normally only one person is on break at a time, so we'll be fine."

Derek sauntered over and headed inside, holding the door open for Michael and everything. When they were both sitting, Derek sighed.

“So. You’re Karl,” he stated plainly. “I _am_ right, aren’t I? I’m not just looking at the indicators wrong or something?”

"What gave it away?"

Derek let out a small huff of relief. “Not much, admittedly. You just had a little too much info. Then when I looked at pictures of him, really looked, I found similarities. And...” Derek dug out a hankie from his pocket. It had Michael’s name embroidered on it. He had gotten it for his birthday from his gran a few years ago. “Karl dropped this a few nights ago when he was... messing with some suspected SQUIPs. It had _his_ name on it when the police had it, but as soon as I got hold of it, it turned back to yours.”

He hadn't even realized he had lost that... Michael took it when Derek offered it to him and quickly tucked it away in his one of his back pockets. "Yeah, I guess that all makes sense. The last piece of evidence is also pretty damning if I do say so myself." Then he looked back up at Derek. "So... what about it?"

“I’m worried,” Derek confessed, “Since Karl has been seen romancing a SQUIP. We don’t know who, nor what they look like, but we know they’re a SQUIP from their reactions to the others,” he explained. “SQUIPs can’t be trusted. They’re _dangerous_ and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Michael tapped the ghost plush against the table as he let out a sigh. Jeremy was different though. But he couldn't tell Derek that. God damnit. "I'm going to be fine, Derek, though thank you for your concern."

“... You’re protecting him.” Derek sounded sure. “Are you_ sure_ you can trust him?”

He exhaled through his nose then as he nodded, and he tapped faster against the table with the white ghost. "Yeah. As sure as I'm gay."

Derek thought for a moment, then nodded. “If you trust Remy that much, I’ll trust him too. And if you need any help, either for him or because of him, just let me know. We don’t talk too much, but you’re honestly one of my best friends and I want you to know you can trust me. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone anything.”

"Wait, why are you even saying it's Remy? It could be any dude," Michael pointed out, though he knew Derek had his reasons. He wasn't in the mood to argue any further. Instead of getting ready to defend his boyfriend, he rested his head in his now-crossed arms. "And thanks, dude. I appreciate it, really. You’re one of my best friends too, I just suck at interacting with people. I don't want to put anyone in danger."

“I know, dude.” Derek nodded. “And... Remy seems nice. I’m guessing when he’s with you is how he _really_ is... I think we could be friends in the future.” He shot Michael a shy smile.

Michael shot him a tired smile then as he slowed his taps, keeping the plush closer to him now. "Alright, good to know."

“I... I’m gonna head off now. I just wanted to make sure you were safe. Sorry for worrying you, Michael.” Derek stood up and headed over to the door. When he opened it, he looked out and sighed. “Looks like you have a visitor. And he’s got a bouquet.” Derek chuckled weakly. “Catch you later, Michael.”

Derek's worry was well-meant and, in retrospect, well-placed. Because of that, Michael tried to give him a not-as-tired smile as he sat up and waved at him. "See you later, Derek."

Derek shot him a small smile and headed out. A moment later, Jeremy stuck his head into the break room, knocking on the still open door. “Knock knock. Room for one more in here?” The bunch of multicolored tulips sort of hovered by his chin and the bag he was carrying swayed as little into the room.

"Mm..." Michael looked around at the empty chairs around the table. "I think I can make room for you."

Jeremy grinned and slipped into the room. “I brought lunch.” He put the bag on to the table. “And flowers.” He offered Michael the bouquet almost shyly.

He took the bouquet carefully from Jeremy, his hand lingering around his hand before tugging him down for a quick kiss. "And you brought yourself, which is another big bonus." He took the bouquet properly then, though not without putting the white ghost in place of the flowers. "And I won this for you."

Jeremy lit up as he took the plushie, bringing it up to his cheek and nuzzling his cheek against it. “Thank you! And I- er, I brought some more sushi. So help yourself. And I got an extra helping of negimaki since you liked that last time.”

"You're my savior, Jeremy," Michael told him somewhat seriously before carefully taking the precious cargo out of the bag. Ah yes, negimaki, his lifeblood. "God, I love you. And yes, since we said it, I'm gonna use it when I feel it's apt. That doesn't mean that I ever mean it any less or that 'I love you' ever loses its valu-"

Jeremy bent down and kissed Michael on the lips to cut him off. “I love you too. And each one still feels special, I know that the feelings are genuine.” He smiled, sitting down next to Michael and leaning on his shoulder. “You really didn’t leave any room for doubt after last night.”

Well,_ that _was good to know. "Well, I promised you a date day of trying to romance you so I'm glad it worked." He then went to 'boop' Jeremy on the nose with his chopstick before turning them into chopsticks.

Jeremy giggled. “It worked beyond what you can even comprehend.” He was blushing. “I’ve never felt so... real. Like a real person rather than just someone created to kill. I felt like me, but better,” Jeremy admitted, picking up his own chopsticks and pulling out a tray of salmon nigiri.

"Well, you _are_ a real person, Jeremy, even if your boss or whoever tried to shape you into someone they could use," Michael told him as he popped open his tray. He took a piece then and ate it with a big hum. "God, where do you get this from? It's amazing."

“There’s a shop near my building. I could take you there for our next date if you like?” he offered, eating a piece of nigiri almost daintily. “And... I’ve never felt like a person like I do around you. You make me feel real, even if I already was real before.”

"Well, I'm glad I can help you feel real. I hope you can feel real more than just around me, like in day-to-day life and when I'm not around." He ate another piece of sushi and grinned. "Also, yes please. I need it directly from the source."

Jeremy leant over and ‘boop’ed their noses together. “You make me feel more and more real every day, in every aspect.” His eyes widened. “Speaking of.” He pulled out a make up wipe and wiped off the concealer, uncovering the hickeys on his neck to show them off proudly. He continued eating as if nothing had changed, even if Michael was feeling a little flustered at seeing his marks.

After the shock quickly faded, Michael couldn't help but laugh. "God, you little shit," he muttered out, quickly leaning down and kissing the one under his jaw before continuing to eat.

Jeremy’s breath hitched a little and he leant into the kiss before getting back to eating as well. “I like them. They’re some of the first marks on me that I actually like and I’m proud of. And the best part is, they’re hopefully the first of many,” he explained mildly.

"Oh, for sure," Michael promised before eating some more. "I'm glad that you think so highly of them. It feels almost undeserved."

“It’s_ very _deserved,” Jeremy assured him. “I’m pretty sure I died and went to heaven temporarily last night. Only explanation why I felt so blissful and at peace.”

"If I killed you temporarily, then I did bad and I _definitely_ don't deserve that praise!"

Jeremy giggled. “But you_ do_ though,” he protested with a pout. “I was feeling _so_ good and you made me feel _so_ special, I think my brain stopped working. And I’ve never felt so... needy like I did last night. I’ve never had anyone lead_ me _instead of the other way around.”

"Well I'm glad you liked it so much. If you ever want me to lead, let me know. I'll be more than happy to do that and more for you." Michael gave Jeremy a quick peck on the lips. "I just want you to know how loved and special you really are."

“I can certainly believe it thanks to you,” he promised, returning the kiss before pulling out a tray of negimaki for himself.

"Good. You have partaken in my truth and wisdom," Michael said in a playfully 'serious' voice before quickly finishing off his tray. "Does that mean that you'll finally believe me when I say that you're cute and adorable?"

“Not yet, but you’re not far off,” Jeremy teased. “Give me a few more days, you’ll have me believing everything you tell me.”

"OK, well _that_ isn't healthy. What if I told you the moon was made of cheese and you believed me? Or that Taylor Swift was anything more than a terrible artist?"

“Okay, well, _that’s_ a stretch. But facts you tell me about myself I might well believe. You seem to be a reliable source for those.” Jeremy pulled out some miso soup and began sipping at it, pulling out a chunk of tofu with his chopsticks and eating it.

"I would hope so. I pride myself on that." He was going to say something along the lines on how he never said anything but the truth to him, but…

“So. I have a suggestion. How about after we’ve done whatever it is you have planned for this evening, you spend the night at my place again?” Jeremy offered, trying to seem nonchalant but failing miserably. “Since I know you wanted to spend some time as Karl, but I also _really _like cuddling with you.”

That was definitely something Michael could get behind. "Oh, for sure. You better have some nice pajamas out for me. We sorta fell asleep in our clothes last night and I didn't get to try a pair out. They look so comfy."

“I’ll even get out a nice dark green pair, since I know that’s your favorite color. Sort of just darker than emerald, right?”

"Yeah, that exact shade." He grinned at Jeremy. "Thank you so much. You're going to pamper me and then I'm just going to get the most inflated ego ever. You'll create some ego-driven monster and only have yourself to blame as I demand for nothing but your cuddles and kisses as well as this sushi for the rest of my days!"

“That-“ Jeremy set down his chopsticks and somehow managed to pull Michael into his lap (Jeremy was so fucking strong). He wrapped his arms around Michael’s middle and leaned against Michael’s back. “-sounds like an excellent idea. Pretty much my definition of heaven. Spending all my time adoring you,” he cooed.

Oh god, abort, his plan to make Jeremy laugh or get flustered backfired... But he _was_ getting cuddled and was _sitting_ in Jeremy's lap! Michael, sure he was red in the face, just accepted this happily as he took his situation in properly. "Well, glad to know what your definition of heaven is, 'cause that sounds like my definition too."

“It’s a date then.” Michael could_ hear_ the smirk in Jeremy’s voice. The asshole knew exactly what he was doing to Michael, and he was seemingly proud of it too. Michael almost squeaked when he felt Jeremy press a kiss to the back of his neck, right along one of the vertebrae of his spine and god if that wasn’t strangely sensitive.

Well, he wasn't going to argue with any of this... except for this carrying on for too long. Michael, as he relaxed and settled under Jeremy's lips resting in that spot, reached for his phone. After checking the time, he let out a sigh. "I gotta go back in five minutes."

“I know. Just lemme have those five minutes. They’re important to my continued existence,” he mumbled against Michael’s skin, kissing there again.

Michael couldn't help but laugh at how needy and affectionate Jeremy was, but he couldn't prod fun at him. He was enjoying it just as much. "As long as I'm able to eat some of the, uh... which sushi were you eating that you have two pieces of left?"

“Salmon nigiri.” Jeremy chuckled. “Go right ahead.”

"Thank you." With that, he tugged the tray over, eating the two pieces as Jeremy continued showering him intimately with kisses. When he finished the sushi, he _did_ reach back and poke him with his chopsticks. "I'm done, nerd."

“I can see that.” Jeremy snorted, nuzzling where he was now leaning against Michael’s shoulder. He muttered out something in Japanese, giggling a little at his own wit or something. Michael thought he recognized the word for cat in there.

"You can't just say something that I can't understand and not tell me," Michael whined, continuing to poke Jeremy with his chopsticks. He was relentless like that.

That made Jeremy giggle harder. “I said, ‘My boyfriend is like a cat. He demands food and attention whenever he wants it.’”

"Excuse me, no, _you're_ the cat here. You demand all the attention and love when you want it and love to bring me things in hopes that I love it- spoiler, I always do." His poking did not let up.

“I _always_ want love and attention,” Jeremy agreed. “And you’re cute, you love my presents. I guess we’re both cats.”

"I feel like I'm more of a dog." He purposefully cocked his head to the side to prove his point. "Wouldn't you say?"

Jeremy reached up and scratched at Michael’s scalp just _perfectly_ and Michael couldn’t help but lean into the touch a little. “Yeah, definitely a puppy,” he cooed

“I have that anxious but energetic energy and the floppiness of a puppy. You’re definitely like an asshole cat with how much of a lovable little shit you are,” Michael added with a content sigh. Oh, if he _was_ a puppy, he’d be wagging his tail and stomping his back leg right now.

“So cute,” Jeremy giggled, nuzzling against Michael’s neck.

"But you're not telling me that I'm wrong," Michael pointed out before checking his phone. "A minute left, Remy, by the way."

“Fine,” Jeremy whined. He peppered some more kisses to the back of Michael’s neck. “Since I know you like your independence, I’m not gonna just pay for you to have the rest of the day off. But know that as soon as you want to, I’m happy to sort that out. And I _want _to so I can spend more time with you.”

God, that sounded like _heaven_. "I would love that too, but sometimes working helps me just zen out and do mindless, repetitive tasks. Plus, free food and tokens on-the-job." Michael looked at Jeremy over his shoulder. "I _do_ like to be independent, so thank you for remembering that."

“You’re your own person, hun. I’m gonna respect that, even if I want to take care of you in every way I can.” Jeremy pressed a quick kiss to Michael’s cheek before loosening his grip. “Break time’s over. I’ll see you after work? I’ll walk you back and everything,” he promised, laying his head on Michael’s shoulder and looking up at him.

"That sounds great." Michael pressed a lingering kiss to Jeremy's cheek before carefully getting up and out of Jeremy's lap. "Thank you for an amazing break and an amazing lunch. Are you going to drop it back off at my place again? The leftovers, I mean."

“Yup. So you can snack when you get home, and we can order out or I can cook later if you’re still hungry.” Jeremy nodded, leaning forward onto the table and grinning up at Michael. His gazed looked utterly smitten and lovesick. Michael was sure that if Karl was out, Jeremy would have hearts in his eyes again.

"That sounds like a plan." He reached down and 'boop'ed Jeremy's nose before quickly tossing out the empty trays and used chopsticks. "I love you," he told his boyfriend, smiling as he grabbed the door and opened it.

In an instant, Jeremy was on his feet and in front of Michael. He pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Michael’s lips before stepping back. “I’ll see you after work, sweetheart. I love you too.” He grinned, beginning to pack away the leftovers back into the bag.

Michael couldn’t help but beam as he left to go back to work, eager for his shift to end.

When Michael left the roller rink at the end of his shift, he didn’t bother looking around for Jeremy. He knew Jeremy would appear if he just waited, so he did. Sure enough, within thirty seconds of being outside, Jeremy was wrapping himself around Michael in a hug, burrowing himself against Michael’s neck. “Heya hun.”

“Heya. You changed.” Jeremy was wearing a light blue button up and a dark grey suit earlier. Now he was in a green button up (Michael’s favorite shade, the sweetheart) and just a pair of khakis. His blazer was a different shade of grey.

“Ran into some trouble on the way over, someone decided to tail me after my meeting. So I dealt with them and got changed so I wouldn’t be all gross.” Jeremy sighed.

Michael looked Jeremy over a bit more closely then. He thought that seeing blood on Jeremy again would freak him out after the park. Apparently not, because he saw a small bit on his forehead, partially covered by his hair. “Do you have your, uh, handkerchief?”

Jeremy nodded, clearly curious as he took it out and handed it over. Michael then walked to the side, close to buildings and not the road, and stopped them. He took the fabric, turned around, and quickly got the blood off of him. “There we go. Now you’re all cleaned up,” Michael said as he handed the handkerchief back to Jeremy.

“Thank you,” Jeremy cooed, pressing a small kiss to Michael’s neck and humming happily as he got himself wrapped around Michael again. He tucked the handkerchief back into his pocket.

“Of course.” Michael quickly continued to walk then, even if his gut told him he should have been freaked out. Well, he wasn’t, so it meant he was getting better, right? With handling all of this. “So, how was the meeting?”

“Not so good.” Jeremy grimaced. “JT’s getting impatient, but I still don’t have any idea how to make sure he can’t get ahold of the mask. And I can’t risk you getting caught in the crossfire, even if he doesn’t know it’s you who has it.” He sighed. “If he wasn’t so well protected, I’d probably just take him out myself. But we’re running out of time to sort this mask issue out.”

For a brief second, the idea of getting rid of the mask popped up in Michael’s head. Well, it was stupid. He wouldn’t get to be Karl again, so that was an obvious ‘no.’ “Is there a way I could use the mask against him, maybe?” Michael offered as he looked down at Jeremy.

“Maybe.” Jeremy hummed. “But I’m not sure if even Karl would be able to sort this out himself. You need to sort of... let in Karl’s aura of crazy. Almost everyone does to a point, but I don’t know if JT would, which means Karl’s logic and magic wouldn’t work on him. You’d need to like... double the intensity, or catch him really off guard to do that.”

“You know him better than I do. What’s a good way to really catch him off guard?” As he asked, Michael properly wrapped his arm around Jeremy to keep him close while they walked.

“I don’t know,” Jeremy admitted. “He’s the one who trained me. He knows all my tricks. I am his... protégé according to him. If there is a way to do it, I, nor any other SQUIP, have found it.”

“Well, sometimes the most shocking things are those neither of you can think of. I’m sure we can figure out something, even if it’s in the moment. Well, probably you, not me.”

“I just... I don’t want you getting hurt, and if I don’t think of something, you could be.”

“I trust you, Jeremy,” Michael reassured him with a gentle squeeze. “I know you can think of something.”

“I will. I promise.” Jeremy nodded. “Now. Onto more fun topics? We have the apartment to ourselves for at least two hours before sunset, so we have plenty of time to hang out and snack before Karl comes out to play.”

Yeah, Karl was definitely more of a night owl. Well, he took over the night owl-ness Michael had, but he didn’t mind too much. “No one is gonna be there with us? Not at all until then?” Michael asked with a soft smile.

“Just us. Rich has a closing shift and Brooke is staying out with Christine tonight,” Jeremy confirmed, his expression gentle and almost intimate.

“Well, is there anything in particular you wanna do?” Michael asked as they turned a corner, and he could see his apartment down the way.

“I dunno. What about what _you_ wanna do, since you made yesterday all about me.” Jeremy kissed Michael’s cheek, giggling softly. “Honestly, just getting to spend time with you makes me happy, so we could be doing just about anything and I’ll probably love it.”

“Hm... Well, I have been getting behind on some videos on YouTube. Do you wanna watch those with me while we snack on whatever’s left in the cabinets? Rich is doing grocery shopping tomorrow, so it’s all good if we binge snack.”

“Sounds perfect.” Jeremy grinned. “And there’s a tray of negimaki left if you want that too.” They were already outside Michael’s apartment. “Want to see how I get up to your window so easily?” Jeremy asked with a cheeky grin. The ladder to the fire escape was tucked up into the structure, as always. Michael could see it down the side of the building.

What the hell, he was in a good mood. “Sure. If you show me though, you have to bring me with you.”

“Is that a challenge, Mell?” Jeremy’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Alright then, let’s do it. Get on my back.”

“I mean I guess. I was also being lazy,” Michael admitted with a laugh. “I can’t just hop onto your back either, you gotta squat down or something.”

Jeremy did just that, chuckling a little. “What, can’t just launch yourself at me? For shame, Michael. I really _do_ need to whip you into shape,” he teased. Michael climbed on, grumbling. “Now, you need to hold on tight since I’ll need both my arms for this.” Jeremy was still supporting Michael with his hand, holding him by his upper thighs.

Michael nodded, even if how he was being held now was so good. He quickly wrapped his legs around Jeremy as best he could, holding on carefully but as tight as he could to him as well. “Alright, I’m ready.”

Jeremy slowly let him go, and Michael barely slipped down. He was on tight. Jeremy bounced a few times, seemingly getting a feel for Michael’s extra weight on his back, before looking at him over his shoulder and grinning. “Hold on tight.”

Jeremy started running at the building next to the apartment, jumping at the last second and launching himself off the wall. He grabbed neatly onto the side of the fire escape and, after a moment, managed to pull himself and Michael up. He grabbed back onto Michael’s legs a moment later.

“Not as quiet as normal, but not too bad.” Jeremy nodded. It hadn’t been too loud, normally Michael made so much more noise when he went and even sat out there.

“Well, you’re way quieter than I am even getting out here,” Michael told him, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before resting his head on Jeremy’s shoulder. “That was really impressive, especially with me on your back.”

“It’s not _that_ big a deal.” Jeremy was blushing a little as he started up the fire escape. He squeezed Michael’s thighs gently as he walked, apparently not planning on putting him down yet.

Michael was thriving over that fact. "Yes it is, Remy. Most people can barely do parkour stunts like that, let alone with someone who weighs more than them on their back."

Jeremy had started up the first set of stairs. “It’s standard training for me. If you’re that interested though, I could show you some more later if you like?” He sounded flustered. Cute.

"I want to be impressed by your parkour skills, so yes please." Michael pressed a kiss against his head, near his ear, before resettling his head.

“Okay then, on your next day off, we can head out and I can show you some stuff,” Jeremy promised. “It’s a date. I’ll pack a picnic and everything.”

"Oh yes, that's gonna be so cool. You also have to take me to that sushi place near your place so we can eat there."

“How about we do that for dinner? So it’ll be out for parkour in the afternoon, with a picnic, and then dinner at the sushi restaurant.” Another set of stairs, they were almost up at Michael’s floor. He was certain he locked the windows and stuff, how did Jeremy plan on getting in?

Well, he was about to find out. "That sounds great. Then can we crash at your place after, and what we do depends on how we're feeling and what we're in the mood for?"

Jeremy beamed at him. “Of course. And if nothing else, we can just chill and watch movies until we fall asleep.” He blinked. “God, it’s still surreal that I actually have someone to do that with.” Jeremy chuckled as he arrived outside Michael’s window. He bent down and pulled out a thin metal hook which he wiggled under the window and tugged on lightly. The window slipped up as normal. “This is slightly magnetic so it unlocks the window at the same time. And I can lock it by putting it through on the other side,” he explained, tucking it away again, somehow.

"That is somewhat terrifying," Michael told him as he kept his hold on Jeremy secure and snug, pressing his cheek against Jeremy as he watched. "I'm glad that I'm on your good side."

“Always, hun,” Jeremy assured him. “And it would take a lot of SQUIPs to hold me back, so you never need to worry about them either.” Even as they climbed inside and Jeremy closed the window behind them, he didn’t set Michael down. Instead, he carried Michael out into the living room.

"Aww, you're sweet." Michael pressed another kiss close to his ear.

Jeremy shivered a little, eyes closing as he leaned into the kiss. He sighed happily before sitting on the edge of the couch so Michael was fully on it but he was also still clinging to Jeremy.

It took everything Michael had to not completely bury Jeremy in kisses. "I can move so you can sit more on the couch. This isn't prime YouTube watching position anyway."

“Arrange me how you want me. So long as I’m close, I’m happy,” Jeremy hummed, still leaning gently against Michael.

"Hold on." Michael shifted himself off of Jeremy. He then had Jeremy move so his boyfriend was in the corner of the couch, and Michael grabbed the remote before curling up against him, head against his chest. "This good?"

Jeremy’s arms wrapped around Michael. “Mmhmm, perfect,” he almost purred, squeezing Michael gently. He pressed a couple of kisses to the top of Michael’s head before settling down. “What are you planning for us to watch?”

"Mm... Well, I need to check my feed, but Jenna Marbles is always good. I could binge her stuff all day, at least from the past few years," Michael said as he turned on the TV and went to the YouTube app. "That sound good? Oh, you'd love her newest dog, Bunny. She's a rescue greyhound."

“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Jeremy agreed. “I like greyhounds. They’re so pointy and cute.” He giggled. Michael could remember Jeremy saying that _exact _thing, word for word, back when they were ten. Some things never really changed.

"Yeah, they're big dogs with bike seats for heads," Michael agreed as he quickly got Jenna's channel up and started with one of her videos where she made ramen nails. Definitely the quality content Michael lived for.

They watched YouTube for a couple of hours, only moving from their comfortable set up to grab something from the kitchen or for a quick toilet break, when Michael felt it. Almost an itch in the back of his head, a need to go and make some mischief.

The sun had set and Karl wanted out.

Jeremy seemed to notice this since he gave Michael a squeeze. “Is it time? I don’t think I’ve actually ever seen you transform into him before.” His tone was gentle, understanding, and a little playful.

The way Jeremy said it made Michael laugh a little. "Yeah, you haven't. I don't know exactly what it looks like when Karl comes out." He shifted and sighed as he paused the video. They'd have to finish watching Jenna make a funfetti cake with Julien another time. "Come with me into my chamber."

“How flirtatious, my love!” Jeremy cried, letting Michael go so he could stand up but wrapping himself around him a moment later. They began a sort of awkward shuffle towards the bedroom, but Michael couldn’t really say he minded. Even the need to let Karl out was dulled a little while he was this close to Jeremy. That was the reason why he didn’t feel it last night at all.

They did make it into his room though, and the need flared up when he saw the chest on his desk. He went over with Jeremy, grabbing the key from its hiding spot before opening it. "I don't know how this'll go, so you might wanna stand back a bit and give me some space."

Jeremy pressed a kiss to Michael’s cheek before doing as he was told, stepping back and perching on Michael’s bed. He was watching on curiously.

After giving Jeremy a smile, Michael picked up the mask from the chest. God, it felt so good just to hold it again. He felt relief as he brought it to his face and let it do its thing.

Within seconds, the whirlwind had died down and Karl was back! His suit this time had roses all over it, and his pants were sleek and black.

He shot Jeremy a charming grin, chuckling at Jeremy’s slightly stunned expression. “Out of everything that_ could_ have happened, I honestly didn’t expect that,” Jeremy admitted, sounding almost breathless.

"What, that I'd look so charming? 😘 Glad to know I left you quite breathless there," Karl cooed out as he walked to stand in front of Jeremy, holding a hand out for him. Once he took it, Karl kissed along the back of his hand.

Jeremy giggled as he trailed kisses up Jeremy’s arm and neck, lingering for a moment over the still far hickey, before capturing Jeremy’s lips. Jeremy, of course, kissed back enthusiastically.

“Someone’s happy to see me,” Jeremy giggled once they pulled apart. “Are you more energetic than usual? You seem even happier than normal.”

"Well I missed you last night," Karl admitted before pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "I wanna give you a date you'll never forget to make up for not seeing you yesterday."

“Well that_ will_ be fun. But you _did_ see me last night, hun. I keep telling you, you and Michael are the same person.” Jeremy rubbed their noses together. He had been insisting that ridiculous idea for a few days now. As if Karl could even be partly contained by sweet, nerdy Michael. “But if you wanna go out, I’m all for it.” Jeremy kissed him again.

"Well, it's more of a go-in kind of situation back at your place," Karl told him when he pulled away, pushing aside Jeremy's notion. Now was not the time for that. Now was the time for him wooing Jeremy, sweeping him off his feet, and giving him a better date than yesterday with Michael.

Jeremy sighed happily and kissed Karl’s nose. “Sounds like a great idea.”

Karl picked Jeremy up then, holding him carefully with a hand under his bum, as he grinned down at him (again, he controlled how bright it was so it wouldn't hurt Jeremy's peepers). "Ready to transition spin, darling?"

Jeremy wrapped his legs tightly around Karl’s waist, a light blush on his cheeks as he looped his arms around Karl’s shoulders. “Yup, do your magic, sweetheart.” Aww, that blush added plus two cuteness and made Karl utterly weak to him!’

He had to keep his knees strong though. Karl toughed it out, even if everything Jeremy was doing was super effective. "Alright, tell me what transition you see and what you hear when we do this-" Around they spun a few times, the world around them blurring...

And then they were in Jeremy's penthouse, in the middle of his living room. "Ta-dah!"

The penthouse was decorated (thank you, transition) with mood lighting, candles lit in the middle of the dining room table, and with the fireplace Jeremy had under his flat screen on. In wafted the aroma Karl hand-picked for just this date, and the food just needed to be pulled out and set on the table. There was even a glass of Jeremy's favorite alcoholic drink set out for him (no matter how mysterious it was and how little _Michael_ knew about it, _Karl_ could easily get it for his love).

Jeremy seemed happy in Karl’s arms, so he wasn’t put down yet. “It’s _lovely_, Karl. You really did up the place in that transition, didn’t you?” he asked, almost sounding in awe. Yes! Point to Karl!

"Of course. Now, you didn't tell me what you saw and heard in the transition," Karl pointed out before pressing a lingering kiss to Jeremy's forehead. When he pulled back, little hearts floated in the space between his lips and Jeremy's forehead.

Jeremy giggled. “Classic spin transition, but full of rose petals. Also harp music. _Very_ romantic.” He nodded seriously before grinning again.

Karl grinned back. "Good to know that it helped to set the mood. Now, Jeremy, you would say your favorite fancy dish is...?"

Jeremy thought for a moment. “Garlic butter steak with a side of scalloped potatoes,” he decided after a moment. He arched an eyebrow at Karl. “You can’t have already, could you?”

With a snap of his fingers, he had a plate loaded with the food hover through the air at Jeremy's place at the table, right next to his drink. "Or could I?"

Jeremy chuckled, nuzzling his cheek against Karl’s. “You’re ridiculous, hun. And amazing. Thank you.”

"Anything for you, my love." He walked over to the table, pulling out Jeremy's chair for him. Karl carefully set Jeremy down and tucked him in (because it would be rude to have the chair push itself in with Jeremy, he _was_ a romantic, after all).

“Clearly.” Jeremy giggled, picking up his cutlery. “And you have as much love as I have to give. That’s a promise.” Jeremy blew a kiss over to Karl, which flew through the air and smooched him so hard he almost fell out of his chair.

Karl quickly caught the hearts that flew away on impact as he steadied himself. He kept them close and pocketed them with a grin. "Your love will sustain me until the end of time."

Jeremy smiled softly before cutting into his steak. Karl was careful to make sure it was the best quality possible, and he even arranged all his inventory to make sure he could afford the best ingredients (time stop was such a useful feature). Jeremy groaned softly at the taste. “This is so good! And it’s melt in your mouth sort of soft, too,” he said once he finished his mouthful.

"I'm glad. Only the best for you," Karl reassured him, gently hitting his foot under the table with his own. "I made sure it was perfect for your tastebuds."

Jeremy took another few mouthfuls, very clearly enjoying himself. “Well your love is addictive and consider me hooked.”

"Good to know. I'll be sure to add it to every dish I make for you from now on." _Yes_, it was already going better than Michael's date yesterday. He gave Jeremy the best food, the best ambiance. No way could sweet, boring Michael compare.

Jeremy hummed in appreciation, tapping his foot against Karl’s before hooking their ankles together sweetly. “And tell me, what exactly are you planning for the rest of this evening? The meal alone is spectacular.”

"I'm sweeping you off of your feet with a bigger whirlwind of love," Karl explained with a grin. "You've already done it to me, so you deserve to feel it back and feel how amazing it is. Don't you agree?"

Jeremy blushed softly, his cheeks literally glowing a little pink, as he ducked his head shyly. “I dunno. I didn’t realize I’d even done that...”

"You do it _all_ the time, my love," Karl told him, reaching across the table and taking Jeremy's free hand in his own.

Jeremy’s blush darkened and a small, shy grin formed on his lips. When he looked up at Karl, he looked hopeful. “Really?”

"Really. I wouldn't lie to you." _Michael_ might, but Karl never lied to him. He never_ kept _anything from Jeremy. Plus, he didn't have anything to hide anyway. He was Karl and Michael was his own person. So he had no reason to feel guilt!

“I-“ Jeremy hesitated then he sighed. “If you think that’s what I deserve, then I believe you. I love you.” Jeremy squeezed his hand then took another mouthful of potato.

"Of course it's what you deserve. It's the very_ least_ that you deserve. If I could, I'd give you the world on a silver platter. Wait-" Karl reached behind himself, grabbing the platter that appeared before putting it down in front of Jeremy with a miniature spinning planet on it. "This is the closest I can do right now."

Jeremy giggled at that, poking the planet and giggling more when it wiggled in place.

The One of a Kind Karl Animated Action Figure™️ that Jeremy had then climbed into the table and poofed up a Jeremy one as well, spinning him and dipping him next to the world. Jeremy arched an amused eyebrow at the two, squeezing Karl’s hand again.

"It's foretelling of our night to come, my dear," Karl explained before pulling Jeremy's hand over to kiss the back of it.

Jeremy blushed again as the rush of affection made it up to his cheeks, Karl watched the trail of it as it went. He looked back down at his plate as he finished his meal, his smile soft and shy. He clearly wasn’t used to being so daringly courted, especially by someone as amazing as Karl.

Karl watched and entertained Jeremy as he ate, glad that he seemed to be an outstanding dinner partner (obviously he was, were there any doubts?). Once he was done though, Karl waved his hand and the cups and dishes flew away to rinse themselves off and put themselves away. "How was the meal? Better than Ramsey?"

“I’d say so,” Jeremy agreed softly. He was still flustered and adorable and clearly unsure how to take such a wonderful date. Perfect, Karl was proving that, once again, he was better at everything than Michael.

"Good. While Ramsey is an amazing human being, I'm obviously superior," Karl announced, grinning ear-to-ear before getting up. "Now that your hunger is satisfied, are you ready to be swept away?"

Jeremy followed, almost mystified. “I’m ready, sweetheart.” He nodded, ducking his head shyly again.

With that, Karl took his hand, twirled him around, and had them both in more appropriate dance attire. The scenery, although it was still in Jeremy's penthouse, shifted to a more appropriate dancefloor. Hey, Karl would change it back after. He just didn't want to ruin Jeremy's nice furniture.

Karl was in a royal purple three piece suit with metallic gold shoes and shirt. His sunglasses also got golden frames because he couldn’t _not _match. Jeremy was now in a baby blue suit and a soft, pink shirt. The cute, pastel colors and fabric were a far cry from what he wore usually, and he was a vision in light colors. They made his pale skin glow like clean ivory.

“That color suits you, hun.” Jeremy tugged on the waistcoat of the suit playfully, grinning up at Karl again.

"And the softer colors suit you amazingly, not that you don't already look dashing in what you wear already," Karl told him. He reached down, gently holding Jeremy by the lapels of his suit as he told Jeremy all of this.

Jeremy seemed to be perpetually blushing, as well as smiling, tonight. He looked positively radiant.

Knowing it would only increase Jeremy’s adorable flusteredness, Karl tugged him forward by the lapels and pulled him into a kiss. Jeremy squeaked in surprise, then melted into it, arms wrapping around him and grabbing onto his suit blazer to ground himself.

Karl let the kiss last before pulling away, a _pop_ resonating in the air before the music started to play. "Are you ready, my love?"

“Ready, Karl.” Jeremy nodded, beaming up at Karl. And yes! Heart eyes totally unrelated to any status effects! Score!

With that, Karl danced the night (well, not the _whole_ night, but a good few hours of the night) away with Jeremy, even if it only felt like a few songs went by. He beamed and complemented Jeremy all the while when he really deserved it (which was always, so he had to hold back a lot as to not overwhelm him). By the time they were done, it was half past ten.

“You’re an amazing dancer, sweetheart,” Jeremy cooed, breathless and almost boneless against Karl as the slow dance music wrapped up.

"I only strive to be the best for you." Karl held him close with one hand, his other running slowly through Jeremy's hair. He sounded and felt so relaxed. Take that, naive, boring Michael!

“You’re so sweet.” Jeremy sighed, nuzzling against Karl’s chest as they fell still, just wrapped up in each other. “I love you, sweetheart.”

"I love you too, darling." He pressed a lingering kiss to the top of Jeremy's head before letting himself just..._ be_ instead of entertain and be wild for once.

“Should we head over to bed? I’m in the mood to cuddle for a bit. If that doesn’t mess with your plans, of course.”

"It absolutely does not." He pressed another kiss to the top of his head before suggesting, "How about I quickly twirl you into some pajamas?"

“Go for it.” Jeremy nodded sleepily, seeming totally relaxed, not making any move to step away or leave Karl’s side.

Instead of pulling them apart to twirl Jeremy, Karl just spun with him a few times in place. When he stopped, Jeremy was wearing the pair of pajamas he first wore when he slept with Karl and Karl was wearing the same pair he wore that night. "Better?"

Jeremy didn’t say anything, he just hummed happily. Karl chuckled and picked him up, carrying him to the bedroom. The softest blankets were already out on the bed, and Karl nestled down with Jeremy under the cozy sheets

Once he was sure Jeremy was snug and comfortable, Karl settled down next to him and his cozy pile. He knew he did better than _him_, but... "So, how was tonight?"

“Amazing.” Jeremy sighed happily. “I’ve been thoroughly spoiled two nights in a row by the person I love. Thank you, sweetheart.”

He didn't let Jeremy's slip up (it was alright for him to think Karl and Michael were the same person when they _clearly _weren't) bother him. "Tonight was a better date night though, right?"

Jeremy frowned a little at that, grabbing his glasses and sitting up to look at Karl properly. “Hun, I just said I enjoyed _both_ nights. They were both amazing,” he insisted.

"Yes, yes, I _get_ that, but _tonight_ was the better night, right?" It was obvious that it was. Even if he was just trying to protect Michael's feelings, it didn't matter. Tonight. Was. Better.

Jeremy huffed, then relaxed again, sighing in a way that sounded a lot less content. “If you’re going to make me choose, I guess I’ll be honest.” Good, now he’d finally have proof that he was bette- “I enjoyed yesterday more. Today was wonderful, but yesterday was really, really special.”

Wait. What?

"You... enjoyed _yesterday_ better? With Michael's date?" What had he done wrong? He made sure to get all the personal touches, the flare, the fancy niceties that Jeremy deserved. He chose the most high-quality stuff and made Jeremy's _favorite_. How the hell did stupid, crappily-made tacos beat it?

“Yeah, I did. But that’s no judgement on you. You’re the same person, which means you both contributed to both dates.”

"What? No, we aren't the same, Jeremy, my love. We've been over this." Even if he was upset, Karl wasn't going to be upset at Jeremy. No, he was upset with himself. "I just need to do better next time, with our next date. Just tell me what you liked about that and- and I'll make the next date even better than Michael could _ever _do-"

“And_ that _is how I know you’re the same person. Your own insecurities are making you think that you’re not enough, that you need this to be worth something.” Jeremy grabbed Karl’s hands in his own, looking up at him earnestly. “I think it’s time we talk about this. Properly. And you hear about what I’ve found out.”

If it made Jeremy feel better and let them clear the air... "Alright, fine, but only because you're insisting."

“After I found out the mask really_ was_ magic, I did some research. Found past users who detailed what they went through, as well as the original legend,” Jeremy began, getting more comfortable but not letting go of Karl’s hands. “The mask has a few notable points, but one of the biggest ones is what it does. It takes the parts of you that you wish were stronger, the parts of you that represent who you wished you were, and gives them strength. It brings out what’s already in you, and boosts that to the point that you’re almost unrecognisable. But you’re still yourself. You’re still you in control, you’re just the version of you that you wished you were. Make sense?”

"What you're saying, I understand, but it doesn't make sense, not in this situation. I'm_ Karl_, not Michael." _He_ was right. Even if Jeremy was so smart and amazing, there was no way he could _be_ Michael. Even if he could be considered the better version if they _were_ one and the same.

“No, Karl is the name you chose when you first put on the mask. It’s the name you gave to this version of yourself you wanted to be,” Jeremy stated firmly. His tone wasn’t unkind, if anything it was so loving. Karl was confused and Jeremy, as perceptive as he was, seemed to get that. “You’re still not getting it... Okay, lets try this. I’m Jeremy, right?”

He had no idea where Jeremy was going with this, but Karl would go along with it. "Yeah, you are. What about you?"

Jeremy stood up and vanished into the closet for a moment. He came back in a slick suit and... and he had a gun. But he still had the same gentle expression. “How about now?”

"Yeah, you're just wearing one of your suits and have a gun now." He wanted to ask what the point of this was, but that was rude. No way would he be rude to Jeremy, especially when he was intending to help.

“And now?” Suddenly Jeremy’s expression hardened and his eyes turned ice cold. He raised the gun to Karl and shot three times, the bullets hitting harmlessly around his head and leaving deep dents in the walls. He lowered the gun, but the icy expression didn’t fade. “Who am I now?” he demanded, none of the kindness or love in his voice was present from earlier.

Karl still didn't see the point of all of this. "You're still Jeremy, just in your SQUIP mode that you have to be in. How you're behaving and showing yourself is different, but that's it."

“No, I’m not,” Jeremy spat. “I’m SQUIP level five-nine-one. My look is different, my personality and name are different, so I can’t be the same person. I’m as far from being Jeremy as possible.” With the stark difference in tone and expression, it was almost possible to believe that this was someone else. But it was still Jeremy, regardless.

"You're still you, Jeremy." His voice was firm as he said that, not faltering whatsoever.

The SQUIP facade fell away and Jeremy’s soft smile was back once more. “Exactly. And that’s what the mask does, same as my SQUIP training. It might make us_ seem_ different, but in the end, we’re the same as we always were.” Jeremy slipped off the blazer and set down the gun. “Fact is, you’re still Michael under that mask, you just use Karl as a way of hiding the fact that you’re scared. You’re scared to be this person. And that’s okay. And the reason I liked yesterday’s date more is because you were entirely yourself. It was intimate and personal, you weren’t trying to outdo yourself or make it grand and flashy. It was just us loving each other with no extra layers of anything. Just Michael and Jeremy.” Jeremy came to sit on the bed again as he took Karl’s hands. “You made it about us rather than about the date.“

"But I'm _not_ Michael! I'm Karl! I'm not him," he told Jeremy, squeezing his hands softly. "Michael can't do what I do. The only thing that's the same about us are the pop culture references we make and the fact that we are both deeply in love with you. That isn't enough to make us the same person. I haven't spent time with you until tonight once Michael put that mask on and let me out."

“Love, you spend time with me_ most_ nights. This was just our first proper date.” Jeremy sighed. “You _are_ Michael. You’re so alike and you can’t even see it.”

"That's what I meant. Not the part about me being Michael because I am not him, but the first proper date part." Karl ran a hand through his hair as he took a deep breath.

“You’re just as insecure as Michael is,” Jeremy said quietly, as if it hurt him to say it.

"What? No! No way." Karl? _Insecure_? Hah! He was the _least _insecure being!

“You hide the fact with your magic and your loud, bombastic personality, but deep down you’re just as insecure,” Jeremy said firmly, still looking and sounding pained. “You felt the need to one-up yesterday’s date because you can’t believe that you’re enough by yourself. You can’t believe that you are good enough without being loud. You’re scared. And that’s okay. But the fact is, I know what insecurity looks like, I’ve seen it in the mirror for five years, and I know I see it when I look at you, both as Michael and as Karl.”

Instead of denying his insecurity, Karl focused on that instead of everything else. He looked away and let out a laugh. "Alright, well, I'm insecure, OK? Who_ couldn't _be insecure in this day and age, with the fucked up world we have and the fucked up standards?"

“You’re also sweet,” Jeremy continued, seemingly hellbent on this idea. “You have the same wicked sense of humor. You both appreciate things that others wouldn’t, including appreciating me for who I am rather than what others see.” He was sounding so sure of himself. “You’re two sides of the same coin, just you have aspects of Michael’s personality that have been turned up louder than the rest, but you’re still the same person. I wouldn’t love you both if you weren’t.”

This was too much. Never before did Karl have to deal with this. He _couldn't_ deal with this.

"I think it's time for Karl to retire for the night," he muttered out, looking down at their intertwined hands still and not at Jeremy. He couldn't dare look at him right now.

Jeremy scooted forward and pressed a kiss to Karl’s forehead. “I love you, both as Karl and as Michael. I just couldn’t let you keep living in denial about how amazing you actually are, with _and _without the mask.”

Karl hated how he sounded defeated right now, even if he was. He wasn't supposed to show that. "He's going to be exhausted when he comes back."

“Okay. I’ll give you some privacy while I go get changed. I’ll be back soon.” Jeremy pressed one final kiss to Karl’s forehead before climbing off the bed and heading back into the closet.

Before he took off the mask and let Michael return, Karl wiped away a stray tear. Jeremy didn't need to see it.

Michael let the mask fall off into his lap, and he stared down at it. He didn't know what to feel or how to feel. So instead of feeling, he let himself lie down against Jeremy's nest of blankets.

Jeremy climbed onto the bed a moment later. “Hey. How are you feeling?” he asked softly. “I know that was a lot, and I’m sorry, but I had to tell you.” A pause. “Can I hold you?”

All he could do was nod. He didn't even want to move. Karl leaving while in a shitty mood, well, left him feeling numb when he came back. Not cool.

There was a little shifting, as well as a few beeps thrown in there, then Jeremy was shifting Michael to lie on his chest again. “I’ve got you. It’s okay, sweetheart,” he murmured.

He didn't even care to think much on what the beeps were. All Michael cared about... Well, right now, he wasn't even sure on that. He cared about Jeremy, but he couldn't find it in himself to care about anything else. Not even to talk.

So he just lied there against Jeremy, letting Jeremy hold him however he pleased.


	8. A Jay Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, this chapter is rough. Things keep being rough. This chapter has Jeremy before he does a suicide attempt. He doesn’t go through with it though. We have the start and end of the bad bit marked so you know, and the bit of what happened summarized in the end notes. So yeah, warning you all. 
> 
> Also don’t go off on me but I’m not a huge fan of DEH after seeing the show. It’s good for discussion, but the Murphy’s and Heidi and Jared deserved better. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara:
> 
> ‘Hey lovelies! So, I won’t lie. This chapter is painful. And when I say painful, I mean /painful/ even by our standards. See the trigger warnings we gave? Yeah, pay attention to those. Bad things happen and worse things almost happen, and honestly it’s not even surprising the reactions that follow. Also you can blame me for what Jeremy does, I remember I put the idea forwards in the first place. Still, I hope you enjoy!‘
> 
> ** at start and end of Michael talking down Jeremy

Michael wasn't sure when he fell asleep. He didn't even _realize_ he went to sleep until he blearily blinked his eyes open. It was still quite dark when he woke up, so he couldn't have been asleep for long.

The lack of feelings were gone, and now the lingering feelings of self-hatred, loathing, and any and all similar emotions filled the previous void.

Great.

The first non-introspective thing he realized was that Jeremy was gone. The bed was cold and Michael was lying on a pillow, not the chest of his boyfriend. When Michael sat up and looked around, there was no trace of him. Just a small, white scrap of paper.

Michael put on his glasses and read it.

‘_Morning sweetheart!_

_I had to run off for work, but I’ll be around later to see you at the roller rink after your shift! I love you!_

_Love from Jeremy_’

Well, at least he knew where he left to... Letting out a groan, Michael scrubbed at his eyes. He didn't want to get out of bed, but he knew he needed to. Quickly checking, he saw that his phone was plugged in by Jeremy and that he had messages... He'd check them later.

Right now, he needed to try to scrub off all the grossness he felt.

He dragged himself to the bathroom and decided to take a shower. He could grab clothes after, since the closet was just next door. He pulled a towel out of the cupboard and found that even the softness felt really... gross against his skin. Yup. He needed a shower for sure.

Michael finally made his way into the bathroom, and even making it to the shower was a challenge. Once he got all this grossness off of him, he'd be fine. Yeah.

So in he went, undressed, and as soon as the water hit... No magical feeling of the gross washing away. The hell? He grabbed the loufa Jeremy left for him (it was green, Jeremy's was blue) and started to scrub. Hard.

No matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't come off. Michael silently cursed at himself as he kept scrubbing his arms over and over to no avail. God damnit. He couldn't spend forever doing this either, he _did_ have his longer shift at the rink.

Defeated, Michael quickly cleaned himself, still making sure to scrub himself a bit rougher than normal to get the grimy feeling off. (It did little to nothing.)

When he got out, he felt no cleaner than he did when he got in. What a waste of time.

Michael dried himself off and headed into the walk in closet next door, grabbing the first pair of underwear, jeans, shirt, and sweater that he could. He didn’t care if it matched (it did somehow, and the sweater had space invaders around the hem). When he was dressed, along with some socks and his normal shoes, Michael grabbed his phone and decided to head out.

When he left Jeremy's room, he saw his keys, wallet, and headphones left on the breakfast bar. A little sticky note was left there.

'_Don't forget these! <3_'

Sighing, he quickly pocketed the items before plugging his headphones in and playing whatever came up. He skipped through most of them, not finding any that felt right. By the time he got into the elevator, Michael didn't care and just let whatever was on play.

The guard didn’t talk to him, but he did look a little concerned. Still, he let Michael out without trying to interact, which was a blessing. Michael would barely have enough energy to deal with work, let alone casual conversation.

He was quick to walk out of the lobby and to work. The mindlessness of walking would help. Even if this was far from his normal walk to work, he had walked by this block before after work some days to do random errands. He could manage this much at least.

When he got to work, he went to get changed into his work shirt. Normally, he got no looks from anyone besides a quick wave and a 'hi.' Rosa's lingering look of worry as he entered the break room though... He loved Rosa, but he just _couldn’t_ today.

After getting changed, Michael tried his best to steel himself for a long day at work. He wasn’t closing tonight, but he was working until six. Considering it was only nine, that was a pretty long shift. Okay, he could do this (he had no choice). He could interact (not really). He could at least manage a smile (he still felt so gross).

He built up his mental defenses as best he could, and went out to face the day.

Michael didn't even see anyone come into the rink until ten. Well, maybe they did come in. He only was paying attention to anyone who came near the concession so he knew when to stand up straight, give a (fake) smile, and ask what they wanted.

Not even the slushies and pretzels could help him today.

Work was torture as more and more people came in and Michael was forced to interact as a friendly member of staff. The only human interaction he really had was when some girl he didn’t recognize came over and hit on him. Instead of saying anything, Michael just tilted his head and pointed to his most visible hickey. The girl left after quickly buying some chicken tenders.

When his break came around, Michael couldn’t be more relieved. Jeremy had yet to miss his break ever, so maybe seeing him would help with this horrible feeling that had been lingering.

Since he had a longer shift, he had a longer break. More uninterrupted time with-

He wasn’t in the break room... Maybe he was just running late? No, Jeremy was never late. Michael waited for a few minutes, and his mood dipped tremendously over those few minutes. He went to quickly make himself some tenders and poured a larger slushie than normal to try to numb his brain. Maybe JD had a good point in his song.

A few minutes into his break, there was a knock at the door. Michael was almost hopeful for a second, but then Rich came in. “Hey dude. You didn’t return my messages, are you okay?” he asked, coming over and sitting at the table. “When you didn’t come home last night, Brooke and I got worried.”

Oh, he_ did_ forget to check those messages. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He finished the chicken tender he had been eating before offering the last one over to Rich. “I just was really wiped last night and forgot to text you that I was staying with my boyfriend. Sorry.”

Rich frowned a little at that. “You don’t look fine...” he said. “Or sound fine. What happened? Did he hurt you?”

“What? No! No, he didn’t hurt me. I would tell both of you if he did,” Michael promised. “Like I said, I was wiped last night. I won’t forget to text you guys about what’s happening again.”

“Okay, I believe you,” Rich conceded, holding up his hands in surrender. “But you still look like shit. Are you having... are you having a Jay Day?” he asked softly.

Jay Day was the code they had for when Michael slipped into a mini depression about Jeremy outside of the usual period of mourning he had around the day he vanished. He hadn’t had one in a while, and especially not since Jeremy had come back into his life.

But... Jeremy hadn't come in, and after last night with Karl…

Michael just nodded before crossing his arms and burying his head in there. "Yeah, I think I am... I feel gross but no matter what I do, it won't go away." It made sense. He never could feel clean when he had a Jay Day. He always felt gross, mentally and physically. Nothing he could do would scrub it away on a Jay Day.

“D’you want me to let Rosa know you need a mental health day? She’s good about that, and Mindy’s been looking for more hours,” Rich offered softly.

Did he deserve a mental health day though? He needed to pay the bills too. Was he really going to be_ that_ trash of a human being?

"I... Do you really think I need it?"

“Dude, you look like you’re about to burst into tears at any moment. Either that or pass out. And you’ve done more than enough hours already to pay the bills for this month, so you can stop beating yourself up about that. I can see you’re doing that,” Rich chastised lightly. “You can take some time for yourself, you look like you need it.”

He felt like he was admitting defeat by nodding in agreement to what Rich was saying. "I... Can I just follow you with whatever errands your doing today? Please?" Michael hated how small and fragile he sounded.

“Of course, Michael. I’ve got some shopping to do for groceries and I also really need to stop by the garden center to pick up the new bulbs for my window box. It’s almost time to plant them, y’know? Sound alright to you?” Rich asked, standing up and shooting Michael a soft smile.

Michael nodded before tugging the plastic tray with the last tender back to himself. "Should I text Mindy to ask her, or is Rosa gonna handle it?" Normally, he'd know right off the bat, but he just couldn't bring up the energy to think. Talking with Rich already wore him out.

“Rosa will sort it out, don’t worry.” Rich ruffled Michael’s hair affectionately, knowing it was the most touch Michael could tolerate at this time. He was a good friend. Michael was lucky to have him. “You finish eating then get changed. I’ll go tell Rosa.” With that, Rich left Michael alone.

He felt gross changing. Even the nice clothes Jeremy got him made him feel gross. It made him want to cry. (He did a little in the bathroom before leaving to put his work stuff back in his locker. It didn’t help.)

Michael left the break room, but he quickly took a detour to get the largest size slushie. He needed to numb his brain a bit with a brain freeze.

Rich was waiting for him by the exit door, his smile reassuring. “Ready to head out? I’ve got some chocolate milk on my list and I’m raring to go get it!”

He nodded before taking a sip of the mind-numbing slush. Michael walked over to the door with Rich then, ready to face the cold and the errands. Even if_ he_ wasn't raring to go, he would stick with Rich. Being around him during his Jay Days helped half the time; he was hoping today was one of those days.

Shopping was dull, but the small fetch errands Rich asked him to do were simple but distracting. They helped a lot, and so did being around Rich, thankfully. He was even feeling good enough to help Rich choose the colors for his flowers at the garden center.

Errands took a few hours and by the time they got home, the sun was already setting. For the first time in a long time, Michael felt no urge to put on the mask. Karl must still be upset.

It made sense after last night... But he wasn't thinking about that right now. Instead, he was focusing on putting away the last of the cold things from the bags. He had to get the chocolate milk in there and then put in the Code Red... And he was done. Phew. Small task done!

With all his small tasks done, Michael decided to go and spend some time solo in his room. He needed the recharge space. He flopped on his bed and slipped on his hoodie in place of his sweater from Jeremy, feeling slightly more human than before. Maybe he should nap for a bit. It was still too early to sleep properly, and Rich had said he’d leave Michael some dinner in the oven if he was hungry later.

Before he could think too much about it, he was already asleep. And he regretted sleeping then because he was in a somewhat sweaty mess thanks to the hoodie again, god damnit.

When he sat up, Michael groaned and quickly tugged the hoodie off. He grabbed a nearby towel (he tossed it on the floor, sue him) and quickly wiped his sweat away. He checked the time and saw it was still a decent hour to eat dinner, so he went out to see if Rich kept his promise.

He grabbed the hoodie on the way since it was cold still. Damn winter.

As promised, there was a plate of grilled chicken and fries still warm in the oven for him. Not a massive portion, since Michael didn’t eat much when he was in one of these moods, but still a decent size. Bless Rich and his little, bisexual heart.

Michael quickly grabbed a plate, some Cholula, and salt. He seasoned the food once he plated it and poured the sauce in one corner of the dish and started to eat at the table. He thanked Rich under his breath because even if he wasn't too hungry, it was still so good.

He ate slowly, and by the time he was finished, he was feeling so much more settled. Maybe even enough to go and find Jeremy, find out why he wasn’t around today.

Michael quickly rinsed off everything and put it into the dish washer before heading over to Rich’s room. He wasn’t about to vanish on him just yet, not again, and have him worried all night after all. The sounds of Rich typing away on his laptop was just about audible through the door. He must have been working on his novel again.

He knocked on his door, and the sound of typing stopped after a second. "Come in, bud," Rich said, and Michael just opened the door and peeked in.

The familiar look of the bisexual flag, the simple bed, and his more minimalist furniture was so familiar and soothing. He had come in here many times to calm down. Rich was always there for him. He was currently curled up in bed, his recliner pillow behind him with a cup of Red Bull (because he was 'classy') on his bedside table.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm going out. I'm gonna go walk for a bit and I might check on my boyfriend too, he hasn't text me yet today. If I'm not gonna come back tonight, I'll text you and Brooke in the group chat so you both know."

“Okay, sure.” Rich half shut his laptop, looking at Michael. “You have any idea when you’ll be back if you are staying out?”

"I'm gonna come back a little bit before my shift tomorrow at least. I'll probably be back by one or two at the latest," Michael told him as he leaned a bit against the door frame.

“Okay, I can work with that.” Rich nodded again, shooting Micheal a small smile. “You need anything, you text me, okay? I’ll have my phone on all night and I’m clear to pick you up tomorrow or whenever if you need me to, got it?”

"Yeah, of course. Thanks again, Rich. You're really great." Michael hesitated before going over and giving Rich a quick one-armed hug.

Rich squeezed him gently, and Michael felt the amount of love and affection from that small action. He really was lucky to have Rich, he was such an amazing friend.

“Catch you later, Mell. Stay safe.”

"See you later, Goranski. You stay safe too, and tell me how much you've added to your book when I'm back." With that, he left Rich's room, shutting the door behind him, and left the apartment, doing the same with their door.

Michael thought as he walked. Today was an utter mess and he _really_ could do with a do-over button. Maybe if he’d woken up a little earlier, he wouldn’t have had to worry about this whole thing since he would have caught Jeremy before work. But then, why didn’t Jeremy turn up at work? Or at the apartment when Michael wasn’t at work during close? Was everything alri-

** _** _ **

Jeremy was on the bridge. _His_ Jeremy, in the striped shirt and cardigan and jeans and glasses. But he was on the wrong side of the barrier, holding on to one of the beams and looking down to the rushing water below. It had been raining recently. The water was moving much faster than normal, and it would be an awfully long way down.

He almost froze. Almost. Michael had done it twice already. He wasn't doing it a third time, not when it counted so much.

Michael walked close to where Jeremy was on the bridge, his heart beating so fast as he called out to him. "Jeremy? What are you doing? That's sort of the wrong side of the bridge, you know."

“I know.” He almost chuckled. Jeremy’s voice sounded wrecked, like he had been screaming. “Why don’t you head back home, love? It’s late. You’ve got to be exhausted.”

"I just left from there to come find you. I haven't seen you all day, and I didn't think_ this_ would be where I'd find you. I was hoping I'd see you at your place, you know? Talk and maybe play some Apocalypse of the Damned?" Jeremy still hadn't looked back at him yet. "I still wanna do that, so just... come over here, yeah?"

“Thanks, but I-“ Jeremy’s voice cracked. “I’m good. Besides, suicide is usually a private thing. I don’t think you’d want to deal with the results.”

"It's not really private when you do it in public, you know?" He took a step closer. "Plus, you promised me that parkour picnic date, yeah?"

“I know. I’m sorry.” That was closer to a sob. “God, there were so many things I wanted to do with you. I’m sorry I won’t be able to.” He hadn’t gotten any closer to the edge yet, thank fuck, but he was still there, still in danger. “This is my best bet so they can’t just revive me. By the time they get to me, it’ll be too late.”

"You can _still_ do them, Jeremy, you just need to come over here with me," Michael told him, taking another step closer. Jeremy still hadn't looked back at him yet. "You still have your dream of remembering, of us, of the future."

“I don’t care about that anymore!” Jeremy cried, finally turning to face Michael. His face was stained with tears, both old and new, and he had a large bruise on his jaw. “I care about you! They’re going to stick me on the machine again! Make me forget you then send me to kill you! Or worse, break you! I _can’t_ let that happen, Michael, I can’t.”

"And I care about _you_, Jeremy! I can't live without you, I-" Could he say it? Was it the right time? "-I already lost someone so close to me once before, and it almost broke me. Losing you-" Again. "-_will_ break me!"

A small step closer.

“You survived without me before.” Jeremy turned back to face the river, looking conflicted. “I know I knew you, that you lost me before. I remembered today. You survived five years without me, you’d survive this.” He was shaking a little. “Please, just let me have this. Don’t let me hurt you.”

He remembered?

"I barely survived without you. My moms and Rich had to keep me going because all I would do would be constantly checking for _anything_ about you. I barely ate, showered, or anything for a good while. Only since college have I been able to re-stabilize myself, but even then, I slipped up. A lot." He took another step closer. "I would break if I lost you again. I could've just said 'no' before and forced you to drive with me to your place, and this wouldn't have happened. I... I can't lose you again. I'm being selfish, I know, but I_ can't_."

“They want to make me forget you. Again. Make me into something I’m not,” Jeremy almost whimpered. “I’m scared, I’m so fucking scared that I don’t know what to do, but I can’t hurt you. Please, I _can’t_ hurt you, Mikey.” Jeremy was shaking harder but he slowly turned back to face Michael. He was holding onto the barrier now as well as the support.

"We'll figure out_ something_ Jeremy. I just... you jumping is going to hurt me. It will. A-and your dad, he and I have been clinging on to the hope that you'd come back. I can't tell your dad to stop hoping, Jeremy." Michael had to keep himself strong here. He was talking Jeremy down, he couldn't afford to break down right now. "I can't do that to your dad. We won't have any hope left to cling on to. I'll_ know_ you're gone this time. This isn't the only option, Jeremy."

_ ****** _

Jeremy was openly sobbing, looking broken and so scared. But he sniffled and held his shaking hand out for Michael to take. “C-Can you help me back o-over, please? I don’t think I- I can manage myself with-without making my in-injuries worse.”

It wasn't over yet, but at least he convinced him. Thank god. "Yeah, of course. Just do as I say, yeah?" Jeremy nodded.

Michael was right by the railing then, carefully taking his hand. He tested with his other hand if he could grab Jeremy and help lift him. "If I help lift you up, can you swing your legs over the railing? Like if you were going to sit on top of it?"

Jeremy nodded and Michael counted down. They managed the motion and Michael instantly pulled Jeremy to his chest, holding on to him for dear life. Jeremy clung equally tightly to Michael, whimpering and sobbing out apologies. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Mikey. I’m sorry, I won’t do it, I promise.”

"That's all I can ask for. Thank you so much, I'm just glad you're here." He ran a hand through Jeremy's hair to try to help calm and soothe him as best as he could. "Just let it out, it's alright." Michael was honestly relieved that no one came by during this.

“I’m- I’m so _scared_, Mikey. I was scared last time and- and- and I’m even _more_ scared now.” Jeremy was barely coherent but Michael, even if it was years ago, had experience; he knew what Jeremy was saying through tears. Twelve years of friendship had that effect.

"We're going to make sure you don't get on that machine again though, yeah?" He felt Jeremy nod before he buried his face further into his red hoodie. "I'm not going to let that happen to you again."

“I love you, Mikey,” Jeremy mumbled out after a while longer of clinging and calming down. “I’ve loved you for so long. I don’t even know how long, I just know it’s been a really long time.” He was still holding on desperately to the back of Michael’s hoodie.

"I love you too Jeremy, have for a long time. Since the ninth grade, at least," Michael told him before pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

“Can...can you take me home, please? And just... stay? Please? I don’t want to be alone.”

"Yeah, of course. I'm not gonna leave you," he promised Jeremy. "I can't walk with you like this though, even if I wanted to. Can I have my arm around you and you cling to my side if that's good with you?"

“Oh-“ Jeremy sniffled. “Okay.” He moved to the side, instantly wrapping himself as close to Michael as possible while still being able to walk. He seemed smaller, somehow, and he whimpered softly when Michael brushed against a point on his back. He quickly adjusted his grip.

"This good?" Jeremy nodded. "Alright." He walked back with Jeremy to his apartment then, even if it was a little awkward to walk this way and took them a little longer.

When they got back to Jeremy’s building, he quickly called the elevator. The guard looked beyond relieved when he saw Jeremy. “Oh thank god, I was so worried.” He sighed, then looked up at Michael. “Thank you. I knew I couldn’t stop him, but I’m so glad you did.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a keycard. “He left me this. The code is one- three- three- seven- two.” The doors slid open to Jeremy’s floor.

Michael nodded, taking the keycard. "Thank you." He gave the guard a nod and a passing smile before walking with Jeremy to his penthouse door. "I just need to get us in, and then we're gonna sit on your bed and I'm gonna check you over, OK? You're hurt and I need to see where and help patch you up." As he said that, he slid the card and began typing in the code the guard gave him.

Jeremy nodded as the door unlocked. He seemed to be stuck in non-verbal mode, but so long as he was here, Michael could deal with almost anything.

With that, he opened the door, using his free shoulder to keep it open as he walked in with Jeremy. He made sure that Jeremy was alright walking in before shutting the door behind them. Once he was sure the door was shut and locked behind them, Michael walked with Jeremy to his room. "I just need you to nod, but are you bleeding and do I need to get gauze and disinfectant to treat it?"

Jeremy hesitated, then nodded. Okay, Jeremy has shown Michael the first aid kit before, Michael knew where it was. He set Jeremy down on the bed, pressing a kiss to his forehead with the promise of returning immediately. Jeremy let him go.

Michael hurried into the bathroom, ignoring the drops of blood still staining the sink. He could sort that out later, for now, Jeremy needed his attention. He pulled the very full and comprehensive first aid kit from the cupboard under the bathroom sink and headed back to Jeremy. He hadn’t moved an inch, staring almost blankly at a spot on the floor. He was shivering slightly again.

"Hey, Jeremy." Jeremy's gaze looked back at Michael then. "Hi." He gave the best smile that he could to Jeremy before settling down on his bed. "Alright, I have the first aid kit you showed me." He held it up before putting it down beside him. "Now, I need to know where I need to tend to first. You don't have to tell me. Just point where and help me take off whatever to reach it, OK?"

Instead of replying, Jeremy slipped off his cardigan and shirt, exposing his chest. He was covered in bruises, all over, and a good number had split open from the force used. Hastily applied gauze was slapped over them, but Michael could tell that Jeremy didn’t care by that point. He could just about make out the end of a large slash which ended on Jeremy’s shoulder on his back.

Michael's stomach churned at the sight. Instead of gagging at the sight and crying like he wanted to, he just took a deep breath. "Which ones are the worst?"

Jeremy pointed to the large one on his back, then three others on his front.

He nodded in response, figuring the one Jeremy pointed to first was the worst. "I'm gonna move to sit behind you, alright?"

Jeremy nodded and bent over a little so Michael could get a better look. No wonder Jeremy he had winced when Michael touched it. The slash, though mostly covering Jeremy’s back, wasn’t deep so it wouldn’t need stitches probably.

"Alright, this is going to sting like a bitch," Michael told him as he quickly opened and dug through the first aid kit. He looked around until he found the disinfectant, bandages, bandage tape, and the other cleaning things he needed. "I'll tell you when I'm ready, then you tell me that you're good somehow. I'll count down to three and then clean and patch you up. Sound good?"

Once again, Jeremy nodded. He leaned forward and exposed his back a little more for Michael. He shot a thumbs up over his shoulder and Michael heard Jeremy let out a small sigh.

“Alright. One... Two... Three.” Michael took a deep breath before he carefully dabbed along the area with a coated cotton pad. He watched alcohol do what it needed to, even if it looked extremely painful at the scale his back cut had. Still, he kept going until the whole back cut was disinfected and cleaned up, bandaging it and securely taping the bandages. “Alright, how are you feeling? Scale of one to five with your fingers.”

Jeremy’s breathing was shivery, and it made sense when he put up only two fingers. Slowly, he turned around to face Michael, leaning back to expose his front and pointing out the three worst looking breaks in his skin with a shaky hand.

Michael pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, looking over the wounds up front. Thankfully, they didn’t look like they needed stitching either. He wouldn’t have been able to stomach that.

He repeated what he did before to the three breaks, making sure Jeremy was alright before he patched up any other cuts and wounds, disinfecting everything as he could. How empty the kit looked by the time he was done made Michael’s stomach drop.

“Is there anywhere else I need to patch up, Remy?” Michael asked, wiping away the sweat from Jeremy’s forehead as he asked. He looked at the now-covered bruise on Jeremy’s face before looking him in the eyes.

Jeremy hesitated, then nodded. He slowly pulled off his jeans, flinching as he did. Michael saw the wound on Jeremy’s thigh, and even with the messily applied gauze, he could make out the letters from the blood. Jeremy had been branded with a slur, specifically because he was with Michael. The three letters made Michael feel even more sick than before, and Jeremy wasn’t even looking at him, apparently ashamed.

He let out a shaky sigh as Michael carefully dabbed the blood off, making sure the area was clean. “Fuck the SQUIPs. You don’t need to be ashamed, Jeremy. Fuck them.” He reached over, carefully kissing Jeremy’s forehead before looking over the wound.

Again, he thankfully didn’t need to stitch them, but they were painful to clean. Michael was relieved they weren’t infected, and he carefully applied the gauze and tape, pressing a kiss over the covered area. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Jeremy replied croakily, reaching forward and taking Michael’s hand. He was still shaking, and speaking seemed to be a great effort for him, but he looked a little relieved now.

Michael gave Jeremy a tender smile, intertwining his fingers with Jeremy’s. He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of his hand. “Is there anywhere else, hun?”

Jeremy shook his head as he shimmied his jeans all the way off, trying to reach over and grab the soft pair of pajamas set a little way over on the bed.

“I have it, hold on.” Over Michael reached, grabbing the pair and giving it to Jeremy. “Will you be alright if I go toss some things in the trash? I won’t be gone long, just in the kitchen for a minute.”

Jeremy nodded, slowly pulling on the soft pants. Michael quickly hurried to the kitchen to throw away the remains of Jeremy’s patch job.

He tossed it, along with any materials he used to help clean up Jeremy, before coming back into the bedroom. “I’m back. I’m just going to put the kit on the side table, OK?” Jeremy nodded, his pants almost on. Michael quickly put the kit to the side then before getting on the bed again.

Silence hovered over them as Jeremy slowly finished getting dressed, with Michael now helping him. When Jeremy was covered once again, he sat back looking at his lap.

Michael was about to break the silence, check if Jeremy was feeling any better, when he spoke up. “What was I like?” Jeremy rasped, still not looking at Michael. He sounded shy and nervous, as if asking was terrifying for him. Or maybe he was just scared for the answer.

Well, he didn’t need to be.

“You were... my best friend, my Player Two. You still are,” Michael started. “Even if you were a little shit at times, you always had the best intentions at heart. You just clicked with me. Yes, there were times where we didn’t agree on things, but that didn’t matter in the long run. They were typically over things like what the superior character in Smash was, or what the best slushie flavor was. We still stuck together, learned how each other worked, and had each other’s backs always. We were an item together. No one could get one without the other. I loved it.” He let out a watery laugh as he quickly rubbed at his face. “You... you’re still like that now. You’ve shown who you are through everything, all this shit you’ve gone through. You’re still Jeremy Heere, my best friend since kindergarten, since you accidentally snapped at me for taking the swing you wanted to use and then made it up to me by buying me ice cream in the lunch line with your lunch money that day. All because you couldn’t stand to see me sad after that.”

Jeremy sniffled and scrubbed at his eyes weakly. “Still can’t.” He chuckled wetly, his voice hoarse. Jeremy blindly flailed his hand in Michael’s direction, trying to take his hand again.

Michael happily took Jeremy’s hand, squeezing it as he nodded. “Yup. So what you were like is still how you are now.”

“I’m... still me...” He sounded almost mystified by that fact. “And you were... we were... were you in the memories?” he asked. Speaking still seemed to be a struggle, but Jeremy had always been stubborn when he wanted something.

“I was there in your memories. The red hoodie you held onto is the one I’m wearing, and you gave my moms flowers for their anniversary.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “You always smoked with me in my basement, though I often did it for my anxiety.”

Jeremy squeezed Michael’s hand. “You really _are_ home.” His voice was quiet and his tone was soft, reverent.

That just made Michael laugh as he nodded. "Apparently so."

Jeremy slowly leaned forward and took the hem of Michael’s hoodie. He rubbed his thumb over the ‘J’ sewn in, looking up at Michael questioningly. “Me?” He grabbed the cardigan from the side and rubbed the mess that once was an ‘M.’ “And you.”

"Yeah. You sewed that 'J' into my hoodie and that used to be an 'M' in your cardigan. We did it the summer before high school because we're dorks."

Jeremy giggled softly at that, his eyes a little distant. Then his expression turned somber and he sighed heavily. “I... remembered things. After this and talking to JT.” He gestured to the bandage on his face. Jeremy seemed determined to speak even if it was difficult. “I remembered being taken. And going on to the machine. I relived it instead of just remembering. That’s why I was so scared, but also how I knew I knew you. Since I thought about you. And Rich. And Mama and Ina. And... dad.” He sniffled a little again. “I remember thinking about you. I was apologising for not coming home.”

Oh god, that just broke Michael's heart. He scooted to sit right next to Jeremy then, wrapping a careful arm around him and holding him close. "Well, there's that stupid phrase where if you love something and you let it go, it comes back if it's meant to be or something. You came back, even if you were taken instead of let go." He pressed a kiss to the top of Jeremy's head. "And you're back home. You're back."

Jeremy nuzzled himself into the crook of Michael’s neck, gripping onto his hoodie weakly. He nodded slowly. “I’m home. I’m back. Even if I’m still remembering, I’m home,” he promised softly.

"You are. You really are," Michael muttered out before something popped into his head. "I have photos saved on my phone from when we were younger... They transferred from my old phones to the one I have now," Michael explained. "Do you want me to show you any of them, or wait?"

“Wait, please,” Jeremy murmured. “Please, just tell me about things we did. Your favorite memories. I want to know.” He pressed a kiss on Michael’s neck. “Can we lie down together?”

"We can do that," Michael told him. "Also, a lot of my favorite memories are either mushy or dumb as hell, so be prepared." As he warned Jeremy, he looked around on the bed. "Also also, you might want something on top to make sure the tape isn't irritated or something."

Jeremy slipped on the pajama shirt next to him. It was a little slow going but he managed it surprisingly smoothly. Like he was barely affected by the injuries now. “You wanna get changed too? The green pjs are in the closet. And you wanna text Brooke and Rich maybe? They’ll get worried otherwise.”

"Yeah, I told Rich I'd text them if I was staying the night with you or not. Well, I said you're my boyfriend, not who you are specifically, but you probably already knew that and-"

Jeremy kissed his cheek. “I trust you. And... I wanna meet Rich. Again. I wanna get to know him, since I can’t remember,” he said, it almost coming out like a question, like he was asking Michael’s permission.

"Yeah, yeah for sure. Just... after we sort all this stuff out." A pause. "He definitely misses you too. Even if he only knew you for a semester in high school, he misses you."

“I think I miss him too,” Jeremy mumbled. “He was one of the people I thought about specifically.” He rubbed his arms. “I thought I was going to die. So I was saying goodbye to everyone I cared about, even if you couldn’t hear me. I said goodbye to him right before you... you were last, since I had a lot to say. Including a confession.” He chuckled weakly.

"Well you didn't die," Michael reminded him, gently kissing his cheek. "I think I have an idea on what you might've confessed... I'm glad you're back though." He carefully laid down with Jeremy then, making sure they were comfortable against some of the blankets and pillows still on the bed.

Jeremy sighed softly. “I love you, Michael. I love you so much.”

"I love you too, Jeremy- Oh, wait, before I forget." Michael reached into his hoodie pocket, took out his phone, and sent a quick text to the group chat he had with Brooke and Rich about his plans. "Sorry, couldn't forget to tell for a second night in a row," he muttered out, putting his phone back into his pocket. "Also, I need to take the hoodie off. I'll sweat up a storm otherwise."

“Go get changed. They’re on the first shelf when you walk in,” Jeremy suggested with a small smile. He looked exhausted, but much more settled and relaxed. Besides the occasional wince, he looked fine.

He nodded, pressing a kiss to Jeremy's forehead before carefully letting him go and going into the closet. Before he did go in, Michael took off his hoodie and placed it onto the side table with the first aid kit.

  
It didn't take long for Michael to change. The pajamas were so soft and comfortable. He couldn't help but smile as he left the closet (too easy of a joke) and curled up right beside Jeremy, tugging a blanket over them. "Hi."

“Hi. They look good on you,” Jeremy murmured. His voice sounded stronger this time as well. He nuzzled himself closer to Michael.

"_You_ look good," Michael countered as he carefully placed an arm around Jeremy to keep him close.

Jeremy squirmed a little, getting comfortable, before he relaxed entirely, going totally limp in Michael’s hold. He let out a small, content sigh. He was smiling softly, his eyes almost glazed over with contentment.

"What, you're not even gonna comment on me complimenting you back? Rude," Michael teased before grabbing their glasses and reaching over, putting them on top of his hoodie.

Jeremy blinked sleepily and looked up at Michael. “We did this sometimes. Especially when we were high.” It wasn’t a question. “I liked it a lot.”

Michael couldn't help but sigh and smile down at Jeremy. "Yeah, we did. I liked it a lot too, but now we don't have to only do this while high."

“I like _you_ a lot.” Jeremy giggled, his eyes slowly slipping shut. “I love you. G’...night...” he yawned, his words petering off to a sleepy mumble.

"I love you too," Michael said around a soft laugh, nuzzling against Jeremy as he shut his eyes as well. "G'night, Remy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary of talking down point for those who didn't read it: Jeremy was threatened with being the one to break and bring back Michael after being put back onto the machine, and if he doesn't break Michael, he has to be the one to kill Jeremy. (This is why he wants to jump off the bridge, so he doesn't have to do either and can keep Michael safe.) He remembers Michael a bit, knows Michael can 'survive again without him' but Michael convinces him otherwise, that he couldn't live knowing Jeremy was dead for real this time instead of having hope that Jeremy might be alive. He couldn't be the one to tell Jeremy's dad that Jeremy was truly dead when they both had been hoping for years that Jeremy was alive.


	9. One Blow After Another

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies! Mara here!  
So yeah, yesterday happened. Today isn’t much better, in fact, it’s almost worse in my opinion. What could be worse than an almost suicide attempt from our favourite hitman? Read and find out. Enjoy!
> 
> And now a word from my favourite person:
> 
> Hey guys, Ari here. 
> 
> Yeah, fluff is gone for a long while. We meet one (1) sonofabitch that has been hyped up for a while and I hate him. You all will too, I guarantee it. :’))) Today isn’t fun, even if the start of the chapter makes it seem like it is. Don’t listen to the lieeees!

After the painful day that was yesterday, Michael felt refreshed when he woke up in Jeremy's bed for the third night in a row. This time, however, he had Jeremy there with him like the first morning he woke up there. He barely managed to open his eyes, still so tired, but the warmth and comfort of Jeremy close by, right there, reminded him that Jeremy was there, alive, present. He held Jeremy a little closer, burying his head against the pillow underneath him to stay comfortable.

Jeremy let out a small hum of contentment, the sound almost like a purr, and nuzzled closer to Michael’s chest.

Michael couldn't help but admire Jeremy then, looking down with a sleepy smile. Jeremy, here (heh) and now, was the most adorable person. He remembered him. Now, he didn't remember _everything_, not by a long shot, but he finally remembered Michael. It made his heart flutter in the best of ways.

The amount of sheer adoration and love he felt compelled him to shift a little so he could press a kiss to the top of Jeremy's head. God, he loved him so much.

Jeremy sighed softly, his eyes fluttering open as he turned his head slowly to look up at Michael. He smiled softly, sleepily, at Michael. Everything about him was just... soft. Even with the bandage on his jaw, he looked so content and gentle. “G’morning Mikey,” he mumbled, his words slurring a little from how sleepy he was.

"Hi. Good morning, Remy," Michael said in return, smiling happily (and probably sleepily as well) down at Jeremy. "How're you feeling? Do I need to get you any ibuprofen or something?"

“S’not too bad. Barely hurts,” Jeremy mumbled, nuzzling closer to Michael again. He kept looking up at him, and it made his eyes look bigger somehow. “You know, you’re really handsome.” He giggled.

"Mm, I am? Well thank you." After saying that, Michael bent down and quickly kissed Jeremy's forehead, then the tip of his nose. "You're really handsome as well."

“Thank you,” Jeremy hummed, blinking slowly. “Is this what living with you would be like? Because I really like it.” He smiled again. “When I’m free of everything, can I live with you? Please?”

"Yeah, of course, Jeremy." Michael pressed a kiss to his lips then, letting the lazy kiss linger before he pulled back. "Brooke and Rich'll want you to do your part and pay part of the bills and rent though, forewarning."

“Or I could just buy the place and then all we need to worry about it the bills.” Jeremy giggled. “But I’m more than happy to pay my way.” His fingers skimmed lightly over Michael’s side, not enough to tickle, just to make the touches feel nice.

"That place isn't worth buying though," Michael pointed out. "We all agreed to stay there throughout Brooke and I's college career and see from there. You're sweet though." He couldn't help but relax under Jeremy's light touches, burying his head against the pillow again.

“Maybe we could buy a house together, then. When this is over. Unless Jake sweeps Rich off his feet properly and they move in together.” Jeremy giggled again. “Jake is gonna spoil him, just you watch.”

"So the Jake you know _is_ his boyfriend? I didn't want to assume," Michael muttered out.

“Yeah.” Jeremy nodded, which was basically him nuzzling against Michael’s chest. “Jake... was the one who came to get me. Yesterday. He let you sleep, so you wouldn’t have to worry, but he told me all about how he was dating Rich. Didn’t know it _was_ Rich until yesterday, but I knew he was dating someone out of the organisation. He and I are pretty similar. Jake’s got my back, if anyone does from there. Him and Chloe, my handler.” He was rambling a little but he seemed happy enough just to keep talking. And he was cute because he still sounded so sleepy.

Michael just hummed out in response, not wanting to talk much and ruin Jeremy's little rambling session. "You never told me much about Chloe either, and what her being your handler means."

“Chloe lives with James, since she’s his little sister, so we can go there to meet her sometime when this is over.” Jeremy nodded. “And you’ll probably meet Jake as soon as the organisation falls, since he’s head over heels for Rich, and he has his cover to make sure he doesn’t get put away.” He nodded before sighing. “I’m just glad Jenna wants to help him enough that _she’s_ willing to put herself at risk to help.”

As Michael listened, he couldn't help but frown. "Wait, Jenna... Jenna Rolan?" Was Derek's step-sister involved in this too?

“Yeah.” Jeremy nodded. “She’s an... unwilling informant. JT has someone threatening her family at all times, and she’d rather feed them information than risk her family getting hurt. I’ve been taking the pressure off her as much as I can feeding her stuff I’ve heard, but there’s only so much I can do.”

Oh god... "Well, I'm glad that you're helping her. Soon, she won't have to worry about all that though."

“Yeah.” Jeremy sighed. “We’ll be free.” Jeremy nuzzled against Michael again. “You want breakfast?”

"Mm... I want food, but I wanna keep cuddling with you," Michael whined out, holding Jeremy a little closer and burying his face into his hair.

“Well let's stay in bed longer, then.” Jeremy reached behind Michael and started tracing up and down his spine. “We can stay here for as long as you like, keep this special little thing going.” He cooed.

He couldn't help but laugh then, leaning back into Jeremy's gentle touch. "Mm... OK, but I am hungry though. What are you offering for sustenance this morning?"

“Sweet French toast with cinnamon sugar?” Jeremy offered. He started pressing gentle, almost teasing, kisses along Michael's neck and his clever fingers didn’t slow.

"Mm... Will there be whipped cream on top?" Michael asked, grinning down at Jeremy while he melted against his touches.

“Naturally,” Jeremy purred, nipping lightly at the hickey he had left last time before sucking on there gently.

A gasp escaped Michael, and he kept his face partially buried into Jeremy's hair as his boyfriend worked at his neck. "Mm... I-I think that's a good choice then."

“Yeah? You like that idea?” Jeremy sucked harder, making it clear that he wasn’t talking about the meal anymore. His fingers started exploring more of Michael’s back, always returning to his spine every few seconds.

"Y-yeah, I do," Michael told him, holding onto Jeremy's shirt with his free hand, bunching his fingers up in the back of his shirt.

“You sound so pretty for me, hun,” he cooed, nipping at the area with a little more force before peppering it in gentle kisses. “Want me to renew the other one too, before we get breakfast?” he purred, shifting his head and resting his lips against the other hickey.

The feeling Michael had right now was so good. He couldn't help the gasp as Jeremy's lips rested underneath his jaw, against the more sensitive spot. "Y-yes please, that would be nice."

Jeremy sucked lightly, not enough to really be satisfying. “Ask me nicely?” he teased, pressing kisses there that weren’t quite enough. He was such a little shit.

"I-I just_ did_ though," Michael whined out. God damn, the tease. "Please remark me, Jeremy, _please_. I-is _that _nice enough?"

The resulting nip was so much better. “Perfect,” he purred. “So pretty for me, and covered in my marks. Maybe later I’ll leave some all over. I know you have some sensitive spots here.” His fingers skimmed Michael’s collarbone as Jeremy sucked and nipped at that sensitive spot under his jaw. “Would that be nice, sweetheart? Have a few secret ones only we know about?”

Michael squirmed a little under Jeremy's varying touches, letting out a shaky exhale. "Y-yeah, that would be. It would be really nice." He was like putty under Jeremy's fingers right now and Michael _adored_ it.

“After breakfast, we are coming back to bed and I’m absolutely_ covering_ you, then,” Jeremy promised, peppering soft kisses where he was working. Michael’s head was spinning with the intensity of everything. Jeremy was just so good at this, making Michael melt in a matter of seconds.

"I-it can't be too many though, I need to go to work this afternoon. A-and I need to see Rich before at the apartment," Michael got out as he just shut his eyes, savoring this feeling only Jeremy ever gave him.

“I’ll have to make sure they’re good ones,” he hummed. “And you can return the favor another day.” He nuzzled against the mark he just improved, still kissing around it softly.

"Y-yeah, for sure," Michael muttered out in response, feeling so happily dazed. Jeremy could do most anything right then and there and Michael would be fine with it.

“I love that you wear yours out and proud,” Jeremy admitted as his lips fell still against Michael’s skin. “Means everyone knows you’re taken and that the best person in the world is off the market.”

That got a laugh out of him. "T-there actually was a girl who flirted with me at work yesterday. I showed her the jaw one and she just shut up. It was great."

Jeremy hummed happily. “Good, because so long as I get a choice in the matter, you’re mine for the rest of eternity. You’re too special to let go of, Mikey.”

"I think you buying all the ice cream you could with your lunch money in kindergarten proved that to me," he couldn't help but snicker out as he shifted his head to bury his face against Jeremy's shoulder. "God, seeing you run over to sit next to me with them... I'll never get that out of my head."

“Considering I almost dropped the stack, twice, I would hope it made an impression.” Jeremy giggled, then paused. “I... I didn’t know that yesterday.” He sounded almost bemused.

"You're already remembering more and more," Michael told him before letting out a soft sigh. "It wasn't even that many ice creams either. It was, like, seven? Or six, one of the two."

“It was seven since the lunch lady gave me an extra one for me because I was being a good friend...” Jeremy said slowly. “I think I _am_ remembering more...”

"Well, how about we talk more and help you remember more while you make breakfast? I'd offer to help, but you sorta made me all blissed out, so I'd drop a lot of shit."

“Sounds like a great plan.” Jeremy kissed Michael’s neck firmly before pulling himself away and helping Michael sit up. “And don’t worry, it’s an easy enough recipe, I can make it with my eyes shut.”

“Don’t actually do it with your eyes shut please, at least for my own mental security,” Michael requested with a small laugh.

“Fine.” Jeremy pouted before he moved to pick Michael up. He hesitated before he did so. “I don’t think I can carry you at the moment. My bruises and stuff are kinda tender still.” He sounded sheepish.

“That’s fine, Remy. Just put me back down and cling to me like you normally do to help me walk,” Michael told him, grinning at Jeremy all the while.

Jeremy let go of Michael and let him stand up, then half launched himself at Michael, latching onto his side like an adorable limpet. “Cuddle powered Mikey!” he cheered.

Michael burst out laughing then, carefully holding onto Jeremy as he nodded. “Yup, only one available in the world. You have that. Congrats. Feed him lots of food and give him lots of kisses or he’ll die.”

“Nooo,” Jeremy whined. “I’ll make sure to take good care of you and give you lots of kisses and yummy food.” He squeezed Michael as they made their way awkwardly to the kitchen. Michael was a little surprised to find the Karl Animated Action Figure out there, in Michael mode. He still had the Jeremy one there too, and the two little version of them were curled up together, sleeping on the oven gloves. “Seems like they’re feeling snuggly too.” Jeremy giggled, nodding at them.

The sight had Michael burst out into a fit of giggles. "Apparently. Looks like they really_ are_ like us," Michael cooed out as he walked with Jeremy over to the breakfast bar. Jeremy helped him sit there, and Michael crossed his arms on the counter and rested his head there. He let out a soft hum as he got comfortable.

Jeremy stayed close for a moment before he kissed Michael’s cheek and stood up, grabbing a large bowl and beginning to grab the ingredients.

The moment was peaceful and loving. Michael felt so happy again, and Jeremy was remembering and-

The front door burst open and about ten men and women in suits burst in, all carrying handguns. Before either Jeremy or Michael could react, they surrounded Jeremy, yanking him from behind the breakfast bar. Michael couldn’t see him through the mass of bodies, but he did hear Jeremy’s scream of pain as someone undoubtedly whacked his back. By the time they stepped away, merely twenty seconds after coming in, Jeremy was on his knees with his hands behind his back and a gun to his head.

“I’m going to make this very simple for you, Michael: give me the mask or I shoot Jeremy,” an amused voice called from behind Michael.

Michael turned his head around, and he just knew this man was JT. The one who took Jeremy when they were juniors. That son of a bitch.

He reminded him of Keanu Reeves. A person could mistake him for a buddy if he happened to be friendly to them for sure. He could make someone think he was their friend while he was manipulating the hell out of them. He had a white suit on with pill-like cufflinks and a blue undershirt. He was very well-put together, and he looked so confident and sure of himself, like he had already won. Michael just hated him even more.

And then what JT said hit him and panic settled in his chest. He didn’t know where the mask was. It was somewhere here, but Jeremy put it somewhere. “I don’t know where it is.”

“I find that hard to believe, Michael.” JT sighed. “Considering how much you’ve worn it, I suspect if you actually tried, you could find it. There’s a pull.”

“Leave him_ alone_, you son of a bitch,” Jeremy growled, eyes focused on JT, still struggling against what must be handcuffs.

Michael looked between Jeremy and JT then a few times. “If I get it, will you let Jeremy go and not hurt him?”

“None of us will even look in his direction again.”

“Michael, _don’t_. You can’t trust him. Please,” Jeremy begged.

“How do I know that I can trust you?” Michael asked with narrowed eyes, though he did get off of the barstool he was sitting in.

“You don’t.” JT smiled. “But you don’t have much of a choice.”

God damnit. Michael sighed heavily before muttering, "Fine, I'll find it and bring it out."

“No, Michael d-!“ Jeremy’s head snapped to the side as he was punched in the jaw, right over his bandage. He whimpered softly at that.

"I got it, Jeremy." He gave as reassuring of a smile as he could to Jeremy, glaring at the SQUIP that punched Jeremy before he hurried into Jeremy's room. It had to be there somewhere, that was where he last saw it... And he heard beeps... Was there a safe in here somewhere?

Michael tried to focus on what he remembered. Jeremy didn’t leave the bed that night, so it had to be around there. After a little investigation, he found there was a safe under the bed. Eight digit combination. What could it be?

Well... Jeremy _was _a sap. And he didn't seem to know his own birthday, so...

Michael tested his own full birthday, and his heart ached a little when it opened in the best of ways. In he reached, feeling around before grabbing the mask and taking it out. Michael didn't want to give it up for many reasons, but Jeremy was more important than all of those reasons. Even more than his need to be Karl.

It had been less than ten minutes of searching when Michael exited the bedroom. Jeremy was standing now, his face set with grim determination. He didn’t move when Michael exited the room, he didn’t even look at him.

“Well, looks like you managed it. Hand it over and I’ll uncuff Jeremy and let him go. And I’ll even let you go, since I’m in a really good mood, Michael.” JT smirked, holding out his hand for the mask. Jeremy was surprisingly silent.

Michael glanced between the two then, something settling wrong in his stomach as he held the mask close. "And you aren't going to hurt him or do anything to him, right?" As he asked, he stepped closer to JT, even if being near the man sent weird chills down his spine.

“As soon as he’s out of the cuffs, none of us will touch him. And no guns either. I have no intention of hurting my star pupil anymore than I already have,” JT promised. Still, Jeremy remained silent and stone faced.

He narrowed his eyes at JT, and despite the dread in his stomach, he handed over the mask to JT. "Now let him go."

JT’s grin could only be compared to the Cheshire Cat with how wide and insane it looked. Still, as promised, he went behind Jeremy and uncuffed him. Jeremy’s hands were left to hang at his sides. He didn’t say a word, didn’t even look at Michael. Why wouldn’t he look at Michael at all?

“Well, seems like our little bet is over, Jere,” JT chortled. “Which means I get to ruin your fun and _you _don’t get your prize.” Wait, what?

This was just something JT was saying to mess with his head, yeah. He couldn't take what JT was saying seriously. "Look, I don't care what the hell you're saying right now. Just back off from him, you and all the other SQUIPs."

All the SQUIPs backed off immediately, except JT, who leant on Jeremy’s shoulder casually. Jeremy’s stony expression almost resembled pouting now. Almost.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said you had him well trained already.” JT sounded impressed and Jeremy _still wouldn’t look at Michael_. “He’s been playing you from day one, Michael. Training you up so you’d give him what he wants.”

Oh, JT was_ not_ trying this card on him. Even if Jeremy wasn't looking at him (why wasn't he?), Michael stood his own and stared down JT. "Stop all this mind game shit, you asshole. I know you're just trying to mess with me right now and it_ won't _work."

“Really, I’m being serious.” JT sounded surprisingly earnest. “We had a bet. Either he got the mask in the time limit or I got to ruin his fun. You don’t _really_ believe he doesn’t remember? I mean, a machine that can suppress memories? That’s a little far fetched, even for a sci-fi nerd like you.”

"You're a powerful crime lord, you could get your hands on something like that. There are so many inventions most of the population doesn't know about," Michael countered, keeping his eyes locked on JT (and Jeremy in his peripheral vision). "I don't believe a word out of your mouth."

“_Seriously_ well trained. And loyal. Could have used one of him a few years ago,” JT muttered before sighing heavily. “I can see this is going to be harder than I thought. In essence, Jeremy left you willingly when you were both sixteen. I approached him myself and asked. He wanted to not be a loser anymore, you know he always hated your social level in school.” That much was true, Jeremy did hate being a loser. But he said he didn’t mind it too much since he had Michael, so JT had to be lying, right? “We trained him up and the world forgot about Jeremy Heere. Except you. Cut to a week and a half ago, he saw you on his most recent job. He had two options: kill you or use you. He chose the latter, since with you under_ his_ control, that part of his life would finally be totally gone, since you’d be with his life now.”

"What? Hell no, I wouldn't be all in just Jeremy's life. I have my own shit to do, with college and a job and other shit." OK, no, JT was just trying to get into his head. He _did _look like a master manipulator, after all. "Just stop with all this bullshit and leave! You have what you wanted, now just go already!" And _why _wasn't Jeremy doing anything? Did they do something to him while he was out of the room?

“Jeremy likes to play games. You_ know_ this; he always has. He plays people so well. A building for discounted good food, a few dollars for a network of teenagers who are willing to feed him info.” A pause. “A lover who is dependent on him and doesn’t care how violent or unfaithful he is.”

All of that was bu- wait. He hesitated. He _had_ become unphased by all the violence he'd experienced lately, and he didn't know why... Was it actually because of Jeremy- _no_, it couldn't be him! It made no sense! "I said to stop this and leave, god damnit!"

“You’ve already become desensitized to violence. And you even gave him permission to sleep around thanks to his ‘job.’” JT put quotation marks around that. “_Please_, you think I’m gonna be forcing fifteen and sixteen year olds to sleep for money? We already make enough from our contracts, we don’t _need _the connections.” He chuckled. “You haven’t slept at your own house in days, and he already has bought you a whole wardrobe of clothes to keep you satisfied and dressed to his standards. He’s also been keeping you mostly isolated from your friends, convincing you to spend time with _him_ instead. When was the last time you really spoke to Brooke? Or Rich, outside of your mood yesterday? Not to mention, he’s been buying you presents and food and offering to pay off your bills. He’s been working to making you financially dependent on him, which is one step away from being _totally _dependent. Face it, Michael, he’s been playing you.”

How did JT know all of this? Jeremy said he reported things to him, but only the basics, not all _this_. How did JT know about Rich and his mood from yesterday, about his whole social life with his roommates? All of the offers Jeremy had made him? No, no. Jeremy would never try to make Michael only dependent on him. Why wouldn't all of this stop ringing around in his head though, the idea that JT was right? "Just shut up! Shut up already!" Michael just needed to think, but he couldn't clear his head from all the stupid shit JT was saying (but it wasn't stupid, he had a point). He just needed a clear head (to think back to all of JT's points being right, on how he was becoming so dependent on Jeremy?).

Why couldn’t he think?!

JT sighed heavily. “I can see there will be only one way you can believe me. Apologies in advance, I really did hope I wouldn’t have to resort to this.” JT stepped closer to Michael, looming over him. “If he really cared, would he let me do this?” JT punched Michael in the gut. Jeremy didn’t move, didn’t even_ look_ at him. Over and over, JT punched Michael in different locations on his body, clearly holding back but putting in enough for it to_ hurt_. And Jeremy did nothing. He didn’t even make a sound or look at Michael, as if he were disgusted. Or pouting.

By the time JT finished the last blow to his ribs, Michael was back against the chair he had been sitting in prior, holding onto it as he coughed and winced. The hurt was all over his body, though it was a dull throb compared to the mental pain he was facing.

Jeremy…

Jeremy had done_ nothing_. He hadn’t even looked over at Michael as he was attacked, hadn’t even put up an ounce of protest. Jeremy had promised he would protect Michael, but... that was a lie, wasn’t it? Jeremy hadn’t cared, maybe he never actually did. He abandoned Michael, and now he let Michael get punched until it almost hurt to breathe. Jeremy didn’t care. He didn’t love Michael.

Despite his shaky breathing, he gave Jeremy one last shot (why was he giving him this last chance?). "Jeremy, please, just... just look at me. If you care, if you... if you love me. Just look at me if any of what... we did mattered. If I _really_ matter to you."

Jeremy didn’t even twitch. Well. That gave Michael his answer, didn’t it?

Even with the pain he felt, Michael looked at JT. "Why? Why did you have to prove this... to me?"

JT smiled. “Jeremy was too confident. I had to take away his prize to teach him a lesson in humility.” He hesitated. “I’m... sorry you got caught in the crossfire. Really, I am. You seem like a good guy.”

"Even if you told me that, that doesn't mean that I believe you had any interest of me at heart," Michael spat out (figuratively and literally thanks to his split lip). "You said you'd let me go, so just let me grab my shit and go home."

“No one’s held you back, Michael. You’ve been free to leave this whole time. You’re free to go.”

He could definitely disagree with that. He may not have been physically held back, but conversationally? Ugh.

Michael managed to support himself and walk to Jeremy's room. He quickly grabbed his things, not any of the things Jeremy gave him (if he could change into clothes that were his own and not any that Jeremy bought him, he would) before leaving the room.

Before he left, though, he faced JT with a death stare.

"Fuck you. I know it doesn't mean shit to you coming from me, but fuck you. I may be pissed at him, but I'm even more pissed at you from turning my best friend into what he is. If I hadn't given you the mask and if I could get it now, oh you'd have hell to pay for all of this."

“Even if you did, it wouldn’t change who he is now.” JT grinned victoriously. “The Jeremy you knew is gone, and he’s not coming back. No amount of magic will change that.”

“It doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t be satisfied seeing your face beaten to a pulp for what you did to him.”

“Have a nice life, Michael. And if we never see each other again, thank you kindly for bringing me this.” He held up the mask and nodded. Then he snapped his fingers and two SQUIPs flanked Michael. “Ensure he gets out of the building safely. I don’t want to find out if Jeremy paid off anyone to keep him here.”

He didn't _want _any help from JT, but Michael knew he couldn't say so. Instead of argue, he huffed and stuck his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. Michael spared Jeremy one last glance, but he didn't spare Michael anything.

With that, Michael let the SQUIPs lead him out of the penthouse.

The nice guard was missing from the elevator, so he must have been a plant of Jeremy’s too, and Michael made it down in silence. He left the building unharmed and started home. If he never came to this side of town again, it would be too soon.

The two SQUIPs left and headed back inside, totally neutral to all this. And if Michael thought he heard a scream (of anger or of pain?) coming from somewhere above him, well there was nothing to be done about that. Jeremy had made his bed, time to lie in it.

As he walked home, Michael realized that he'd need to let Brooke and Rich know he was heading back. It was earlier than Rich had been expecting... He was going to question him being hurt though. He really didn't want to deal with that though.

Maybe they were still asleep. He banked on that as he sent a quick text that he was coming back, that he'd be just going back to bed when he came back. Hopefully that was enough of a hint for them to, if they were up, not bother him. He couldn't handle anyone right now.

He was barely aware of the walk home, too caught up in his head. When he did finally slip into his familiar apartment, Michael found it empty. Or the living room was. Brooke and Rich’s doors were both closed, which meant they were in. He headed straight to his own room, nor bothering with saying hello. They would know he was back.

Michael shut his door behind himself, locking it so Rich or Brooke wouldn't just barge in to check on him. He would just snap at them, and he didn't want to do that.

Knowing he didn't have to worry about that now, Michael yanked off his hoodie and chucked it at the floor. It didn't do much to help him feel better, not like he thought. So he quickly changed out of the clothes Jeremy got him, not noticing the tears until his glasses were stained by them.

Not knowing how to get his pent-up energy out, Michael paced at first. He tried to listen to his music through his headphones. It reminded him of Jeremy.

He tried to scream into his pillow, but it still faintly smelled of him. Michael tossed that one against the wall, but the bedding still smelled like _him_. Even his blanket at the end of his bed.

Hell, he even tried balling up clothes to scream into, but they each held some association with _him_, even what he was wearing. (The oddly patterned shirt was one Jeremy got him on his birthday in sophomore year, a size too big on purpose since Michael loved bigger, comfy shirts.)

Why couldn't he get him out of his head?!

Michael was so close to ripping off his shirt and just burning it with the Pac-Man plushies Jeremy had been winning for him when he spotted it. There, innocently on his desk, was Apocalypse of the Damned. That hasn’t been there yesterday. Jeremy had been keeping it at his place, since it was so important to him. When did it get_ here_?

He got up and out of bed, over to his desk. He looked over the older case, wondering when it got here. Michael carefully picked the case up, looking it over. Nothing was different with it-

There was a note in the box when he opened it though. In Jeremy's distinct spidery handwriting.

‘_Michael,_

_By the time you read this, I’ll probably be dead. If I did everything right, I will be. If I didn’t, I probably won’t see you again anyway, not as me._

_They’re going to put me on the machine again. They’re going to suppress my memories of you again, remove you so I’ll be back to where I was._

_I feel like I’ve been a better man because of you. And I want to thank you for giving me hope that I really could still be good, even from all the shit I’ve been through and done. You’re the reason I want to keep living. I want a life with you, I want to grow old with you. I want to remember you properly, not just these snippets._

_But I can’t._

_With me dead, the SQUIPs will approach you and demand the mask. Without me, they won’t get anything from hurting you, so just give it to them. Their battles won’t affect you anyway._

_I’ve left you everything in my will, so you can do what you want with it. But this game is, and always has been, yours. I figured I should return it like I promised five years ago. And I’m sorry I won’t be coming home._

_I love you more than life itself._

_Jeremy_’

The note, which Michael found himself rereading over and over, snapped something in Michael's head.

None of the shit JT had said was true. This proved it. Why had he even believed what that asshole had said? He _knew_ he was a mani-

The mask. The fucking mask! God damnit! And they probably _did_ do something to Jeremy, but the mask made him dismiss the idea all together, probably because JT was manipulating the magic as the new mask user or whatever. He _had_ taken some time finding the damn thing.

"Fuck!"

There was some pounding outside his door before a gentle knock echoed around his room. “Michael? Are you alright, did you hurt yourself?” Rich asked through the door.

“Did you drop something? That was a pretty loud shout,” Brooke added.

Michael looked back at the door then. Any hesitation he could have had vanished as he got up, going over to the door and unlocking it. "I didn't drop anything or hurt myself," he said, opening the door and looking down at his friends. "I just realized something and I... I need your help."

Rich and Brooke nodded slowly and stood up properly. “Should we come in? Or do you want to talk in the living room?” Brooke asked.

He thought to the game in his room and the note left out. "Living room. Please."

They nodded and soon everyone was settled on the couch and armchair in the living room. “So, what's happened, Michael? What’s got you so worked up?” Rich asked, trying to seem casual and failing miserably.

"I..." What could he say and what couldn't he say right now?

Well, he told the truth but omitted some things. Michael told them he was dating_ a _SQUIP but not that Jeremy was said SQUIP. He explained everything else about the situation as best he could. Michael tried to get as comfortable as possible as he explained everything, but JT's damn punches made him too sore to do much of anything.

"That's everything."

Rich sighed heavily and pulled out his phone. “I’m calling Jake.”

“How is your boyfriend supposed to do anything, Richard? Michael is _dating a SQUIP_. Who is in mortal danger! How is your contractor boyfriend supposed to do _anything_ about that?” Brooke sounded a little hysterical, but at least she was trying to be supportive to Michael. In a weird way.

“Because. He’s a SQUIP too,” was Rich’s reply as he stood and walked out the room, already greeting Jake warmly. Brooke was left gaping.

“Am I the only one not dating an assassin?”

"Yes, but only because you let me use magic to help your date go well, otherwise you would've been too nervous to even text Christine," Michael muttered out, feeling a wave of exhaustion hit him from everything going on.

Brooke shifted into one of her rare mom modes. “Oh, hun, you look exhausted. C’mon. You’ve got to be sore and tired after everything.” She scooted over and gently tugged on his arms to get him to stand. “How about you have a nap? I’ll text Derek, and he and Jake can come over and we can start making plans. We’ll help your boyfriend and get him out of this, I promise we’re gonna do everything we can. But you’re no use if you’re too tired to even walk.”

He couldn't help but frown as he stood with her, playing back what she said in his head. "Wait, Derek? How do you know that he's involved with this?" Michael _had_ been planning to text him to his help too, but how did_ Brooke_ know?

“His sister shares some classes with me, and she keeps mentioning that he’s been hanging with you loads when she comes in to get new stuff at work. I just sort of put the pieces together from there, especially since you mentioned your boyfriend spends as much time as possible with you.” She chuckled. “There’s a reason I’m in criminology, hun.”

Michael just blinked in awe at her. He was too tired to really do anything besides nod and stupidly say, "Yeah, you're smart. I'm tired."

“Let’s get you to bed,” she murmured sweetly, guiding Michael to his room and helping him get into bed. She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead as she tucked him in, taking his glasses and setting them on the side. “I’ll come get you when we’re a bit more organized, okay?”

He just nodded, taking her hand before Brooke left. "I... I'm sorry for avoiding you. I was scared of what you'd think after your negative reaction of the mask initially, and-"

“Michael, I was just worried about you,” she soothed. “It’s a lot, and what you’ve been going through can’t have been helping the situation. We can talk about it later, we just need to get you looked after for now.”

After a moment of hesitation, Michael nodded and let his hand be guided back down to his bed. "Thank you, Brooke."

“I love you, Michael. I just want you to be happy and safe. If this guy gives you that, then he’s worth rescuing in my book.” With that, she left the room and left Michael to his thoughts.

He didn't have much time to think though. Exhaustion hit him as he finally settled, no longer having any adrenaline in his system to keep him awake. For now, he slept.


	10. Showdown at SQUIP HQ

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, this chapter is the showdown. Things get rough and tough. Everything will not be hunky-dory, so be prepared for pain and angst in this climactic chapter!
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara:
> 
> 'Hey Lovelies! This chapter gets us to see just how far Michael is willing to save Jeremy and just how far Jeremy can fall after only half a day.
> 
> JT has the mask, Jeremy is captured and Michael, Jake, Brooke and Rich need to figure out a way to sort this out. Four against a few hundred is doable, right? Enjoy!'

With Derek and Jenna's collective help finding the place and the teamwork to make Michael's plan a reality (thanks to sleep for the recharge), they were near the SQUIP hideout. Well, there were many hideouts, but Derek and Jenna helped them find which one JT was at with Jeremy.

Michael stood nearby with Jake, Brooke, and Rich (the latter was currently wearing a long trench coat that covered almost all of him). "So, we're all ready? Brooke, Rich, you know your distraction bit and everything, and Jake, you know what to do with me, yeah?" He glanced to the sky. The winter made the sun set earlier and earlier, and they only had about an hour of sunlight left to do anything. Damn New England and its four o'clock sunsets.

Rich and Brooke nodded seriously, but Jake looked a little nervous. “Dude, I trust you and your judgement and everything... but this is crazy!”

Rich patted his boyfriend’s arm soothingly. “It is, which is why ot will work. It’s like something Karl would come up with, which we know it’s an effective strategy against SQUIPs generally, right?”

“Right,” Jake agreed with a small huff after a moment.

Instead of argue that, Michael just silently agreed. Jeremy had been right about a lot of things, and he had been doubting himself so much... Maybe he could be Karl too.

"Alright, you two head in then. Jake and I will be sneaking around while you distract the secretary and whoever else is in the lobby." Yes, lobby, because this hideout had a hotel front. The distraction was definitely going to be interesting. Brooke and Rich were chaotic enough of a pair together to pull this off though.

“We’ll stick around as long as it’s safe. Good luck,” Brooke promised, picking up the suitcase of props and tugging Rich behind her as they entered the hotel. Michael and Jake followed after a moment, hoods up to make them less recognizable. They caught some of the argument Rich was having at the front desk.

“What do you_ mean _no one has ordered a stripper? This is the address I was given _days_ ago! Check your system again! It’s got to be faulty.”

Michael heard the sound of Brooke pulling out the 'contract' they had. "My _client_ was told that he was going to be coming here and at this time to perform. There are already signatures as well, so he is legally entitled to his payment. Are you_ trying_ to scam my client, miss?"

"Yeah! I'm already undervalued because of my occupation and societal standards and stigmas surrounding it, and you're going to do_ this _to me? Deny me a show and have my time, money, and resources wasted?"

“I- I’m very sorry, sir,” the poor secretary stammered. “I’ll check again for you.”

Michael had to bite back giggles, and ahead of him, Jake was fondly rolling his eyes at Rich’s dramatics. Yeah, he and Brooke were selling this one perfectly. Jake led Michael to a door a little way behind the welcome desk. He quickly inputted some numbers into the keypad next to it and they slipped inside. The sound of threatening legal action if they didn’t get paid being the last thing they heard before the door shut behind them. Brooke must have been taking acting lessons from Christine.

Michael mentally thanked both Rich and Brooke, as well as reminded himself to find an ice cream cake for the two of them after all of this. Besides that, Michael stayed mentally and verbally silent, following Jake.

The interior of the SQUIP base, the real part of it and not the hotel part, was cold and sterile. The grey linoleum floor was clean and the cool blue and steel grey walls were dull and businesslike.

“Okay, so we have ten different rooms he could be in, if he’s being kept back here. After that, we need to head into the hotel and take a look around all the rooms there, got it?” Jake hissed, slowly making his way along the corridor to the first door.

"Got it," Michael echoed back, slowly following along behind Jake. Now he wasn't stealthy or anything like that, but Michael was trying really hard to channel his inner badass Jeremy here.

Spending so much time around an assassin meant Michael knew how he moved and how he acted. Channeling Jeremy was a lot easier than it had ever been, meaning Michael had no problem keeping up with Jake. Maybe Jeremy had been giving him stealth training after all, without him even knowing.

The first couple of rooms were empty. One was a meeting room, another had a long row of cells. Another still had many, many computers in it. But no Jeremy.

Michael started to get worried as they went through a few more rooms. Another meeting room. Another row of cells. A break room of all places. Still no Jeremy!

They had just found another meeting room (empty of everyone, including Jeremy) when Jake suddenly grabbed Michael’s arm and tugged him inside. The door shut soundlessly behind them, and Jake had his hand over Michael’s mouth to stop him from making a sound.

He had no death wish, so Michael stayed quiet and questioned nothing. It was a little jarring though, standing in the now pitch black room like this. Michael did his best to try to listen in to hear what Jake heard.

The sound of dozens of footsteps suddenly reached Michael’s ears and he knew that if he made a sound, they were done for. So he didn’t, he stayed silent and waited for them to pass. Except they didn’t. Instead, the footsteps grew louder and louder until they just stopped. Right outside the room. Shit.

A million thoughts seemed to race through Michael's mind in those few moments before the door opened and hell momentarily broke loose in that meeting room. He thought about what they were going to do, what the closest thing Michael could use to defend himself was, and that they probably weren't going to be able to beat however many SQUIPs were ready for them.

Jake released his grip on Michael and pulled something out of his jacket. Michael was certain it was a gun. “Close your eyes when they turn on the light,” he hissed. “They’ll try to blind you with the swift change. And use whatever you can to fight back.”

"Got it," Michael said before the door knob turned (it was so silent now that he could hear it turn). As soon as he heard it open, he shut his eyes. Good call, because a millisecond after he did that, Michael heard the _click_ of the light switch.

He opened his eyes, saw a chair, and grabbed it as Jake aimed his gun.

Jake let off a few shots, catching the first SQUIPs in the chest or head and making them fall forwards. Dead on arrival. Michael tossed his chair at one who climbed over their dead bodies, the man falling back and landing awkwardly. There was a slightly sickening crunch as he the SQUIP’s head head cracked on the ground at a bad angle, and he laid still. Another SQUIP took his place almost instantly. Michael grabbed another chair.

Somehow, after the few that Jake shot next fell, Michael was able to get another SQUIP in the head with the chair while Jake reloaded. That SQUIP fell too, knocking their head and falling unconscious like the last person. Michael reached for another chair, taking a few steps back, even if he was hissing and panting. The injuries from JT and the fact that he was _not_ fit in much or any capacity was catching up to him.

More and more SQUIPs poured in through the small doorway and Jake had to abandon his gun for throwing punches. Soon, though, he was overwhelmed and cuffed. Without his battle partner, Michael didn’t last much longer and he was also cuffed.

The icy steel cut into his wrists harshly and Michael couldn’t help but hiss in discomfort as he was shoved forwards and out of the room.

These SQUIPs weren't gentle either. They were rough and agitated where he had been beaten. The look in their eyes showed that they had an inkling of an idea of what they were doing.

Thankfully, when he and Jake were taken into the lobby, it was empty with the front door locked up somehow. Brooke and Rich at least made it out before this.

JT was standing in the middle of the lobby, the mask strung off his belt. He was slow clapping sarcastically. “My my. My second most loyal SQUIP _and_ the little twerp who had the mask. What on Earth are you doing here? Especially in a place where my SQUIPs were going to work.“

A red hot anger Michael had been suppressing flared up. "You fucking know why, you prick. Don't act all high-and-mighty with your cocky little smirk."

“Now now, Michael. No need for such aggression, you already did plenty to my SQUIPs,” JT admonished. “Those were some impressive throws. I wonder what would have happened if we had taken you instead of Jeremy?” he mused. JT was lucky Michael was being held back or he would have just gotten a whole face full of sneaker.

"First off, I would've kicked you in the goddamn face before you could've done anything. Tasted all the old, gross gum and dirt in my shoes." That was the best he could do for now. Hopefully all the deep-rooted loathing he felt for JT came across.

“You’re almost cute, Michael. Like an angry kitten. No wonder Jeremy liked messing with you.” JT chuckled. He unhooked the mask from his belt. “And Jacob. I’m disappointed. I thought you had _some_ loyalty in you, still.”

“I do. To my friends. And trust me, when I get out of this, you’re gonna regret-“

“Hush boys. It’s_ night time_. Which means it’s showtime.” JT lifted the mask to his face and chaos whipped through the lobby.

Electricity could be felt crackling through the air. Michael had to shut his eyes and turn away from the overwhelming feeling he got from JT. The electric feeling still lingered, and Michael swore some of his arm hairs were singed off from how much of it remained in the air. When he finally felt himself able to, Michael opened his eyes and peered back at JT.

The first thing Michael noticed was that JT looked like a fucking anime villain. His outfit consisted of shiny black leather (maybe?) and electrical panels. And he had these weird sleeve things that were ridiculous and pointy.

He had the classic green face of the mask itself, but his hair was slicked down and to the side and he had some _heavy _eyeliner. Not to mention he just looked somehow terrifying as much as he looked ridiculous.

“Now, boys, where were we?” he asked, not sounding any different besides a slight technological distortion in his voice. “Ah yes, I was about to explain how this is going to work. Jake, since you have disobeyed as much as Jeremy, by dating that boy Richard, you’re also going to be punished by being left helpless for our little show.”

JT made a sort of frame with his fingers at Jake and made it bigger. As he did, a white text box hovered in the air in front of him like a hologram. He typed something out on the holographic keyboard, walking forwards to Jake as he did. When he finished typing, he grabbed the box and shrunk it down into his fist, pressing it against Jake’s head.

The box vanished and Jake fell to his knees, then froze as still as a statue. “There. Until this little game is done, you’re frozen.” JT chortled.

Michael felt his stomach absolutely drop as JT messed with Jake. He did his best to try to get free from the SQUIP holding onto him's grip. Unfortunately, it did nothing to help. It _did_ help him catch JT off-guard through as he turned to Michael. As he did, since he_ was_ within range, Michael gathered all the energy and athletic ability that he could to kick JT right in his green face.

Surprisingly, he hit. Michael couldn't help but feel satisfied for a brief moment as JT stumbled back, leaving everyone shocked. Even the SQUIP behind him was surprised and _let go of him_. He quickly pulled away, kicking the SQUIP behind him and letting them stumble as he tried to grab their keys that dropped-

A new pair of arms grabbed him and pulled him from the keys that were_ just_ within reach. This SQUIP made sure to hold him a lot tighter than the last.

“I _am_ impressed, Michael.” JT was rubbing his jaw. His face had a satisfying black footprint across it which JT quickly scrubbed away. “I was right, you _would_ have made a wonderful SQUIP. Too bad I have other plans for you, it would have been a pleasure working with you. I’m sure Jeremy would have loved it.” JT waved to someone up on the balcony above them and they vanished from view.

"Oh boo, I never got to work under you and now I never will be able to. My whole day is ruined now," Michael mock-cried before hissing at the SQUIP's grip. "You don't need to hold me _that _hard, god damnit. I have bruises already!"

“Don’t worry, you’ll be free soon enough.” JT smirked. “It all depends on_ his_ choice.” He gestured over to the stairs where a SQUIP was leading Jeremy down.

Jeremy’s arms were behind his back, like he was cuffed again and he... he looked half dead. His skin had an almost deathly pallor and his eyes were dull. Even his hair seemed limp and his movements were slow and sluggish. It was like someone had drained the life right out of him. If Michael didn’t know that JT could only have just used the mask, that’s exactly what he would have thought had happened.

Jeremy’s slow but obedient movements changed abruptly when he saw Michael. He began pushing back against the SQUIP behind him, digging his heels in and thrashing and fighting, even if his movements were weak. “No, please! Don’t make me do it! Don’t make me hurt him again! _PLEASE_!” He was screaming.

Tears were forming in the corners of Michael’s eyes as he watched this almost shell of Jeremy beg and scream and cry like he was. Despite Jeremy's best efforts though, he was forced down the steps of the lobby's staircase. His crying and screaming stopped nothing. "Jeremy-"

As soon as Jeremy heard Michael say his name, he fell silent with a whimper. His head drooped forwards, bowed as if in shame, and his whole posture shifted to be almost submissive, as if begging Michael non-verbally for forgiveness. How had Jeremy become so broken in such a short amount of time?

“He’s missed you, Michael,” JT cooed as Jeremy was brought closer. “The silly boy seems to think that you hate him, and it broke him because he _adores_ you so. He seems to think that you’re the only good thing he’s got in his life. How ridiculous is that?”

Oh god, Michael wanted to be_ sick_. But he couldn't. Even if he wanted to somehow manage to beat the hell out of JT, that wasn't his priority at this very second.

Jeremy was.

"I don't know what he did to you, but I don't hate you. JT messed with me, made me think things that weren't true. I'm _so _sorry, Remy, I could _never_ hate yo-"

“No time for chit chat right now,” JT cut him off gleefully. “We have a game to complete.“ JT formed another screen and quickly typed out more code onto it. He shoved it into Jeremy’s head, and he was engulfed by pixels for a moment. When he emerged, he was standing straight, wearing the same suit from the night Michael found him. There was a gun in his outstretched hand, and he couldn’t seem to be able to move. When he struggled, all that happened was the gun moved up and down, along with his arm (it was quite similar to a Barbie doll).

“You get a choice, Jeremy. Either you get a special version of your dear Michael for ten years, or you kill him,” JT explained cheerfully as Michael was maneuvered in front of Jeremy. “In ten years, my body will be old, so I’ll be uploading my mind to yours using the mask, but in the years before, you could spend them not working, just living your dream life with Michael. Or you kill him and spend those years in agony and wracked by guilt.” Jeremy looked horrified, tears starting to form in his wide eyes.

"What?! No way in_ hell_ are you doing that to Jeremy," Michael almost hissed out as he glared at JT. He did his best to struggle, even as the SQUIP holding onto him held tight. "You fucking asshole-" He did hiss this time as the SQUIP holding him held tighter, irritating his earlier wounds again. "For fucks sake, _stop that_," he growled at the SQUIP behind him.

“Uh uh uh,” cooed JT. “We can’t be having that attitude, Michael.” He pulled up a new screen. Oh **_fuck_**. “You see, you’re gonna let it happen because you’re going to either die or you’re going to support it. You’ll become_ exactly_ as Jeremy wants you when he wants it. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? You’ll never need to feel anxious or scared again because Jeremy will make you how he wants.”

“Please don’t do this,” Jeremy begged, looking over to JT. “I’ll do whatever you want, I’ll be good, just please leave him out of it.”

“I can’t do that, Jeremy. You broke the rules, you need to be made an example of. And what better way than giving you_ exactly _what you want by giving you your little boyfriend.” JT was still typing. It must have been a long program.

Seeing this and figuring he had _some _time before whatever JT was working on was finished, Michael turned to Jeremy. "Jeremy, don't listen to whatever he has me say to you. Do what you think is right. I trust you more than I trust myself. You hear me? I do! So trust in the me that trusts you, not whatever he's going to make me. Please, do what you think is right. I love you."

Jeremy watched him with wide, pained eyes. “I love you, Mikey. I love you so much, I swear I do. What he said before, and what he was doing today, I promise they’re all lies. I love you.” Jeremy’s voice was borderline begging at this point.

Michael had just opened his mouth to respond when the code cube was pushed into his head. His whole perspective shifted.

“How about we get a little taste of what you’re getting, huh, Jeremy?”

Michael relaxed and the SQUIP let go of him. The cuffs dropped off of his wrists and that felt better. So much better.

He walked over to Jeremy, smiling down at him. How couldn't he? He was Jeremy's and no one else's. Only Jeremy got to choose how he felt, what he ate, what he wore, along with so many other things... Well, he_ would_ be able to do that. He just had to agree to it.

And Michael wanted it so bad because it would be what was best for Jeremy. He didn't know it yet, but it was what Jeremy really wanted.

Jeremy looked up at Michael and whimpered softly, the gun shaking in his grip. He was still stuck, but that didn’t matter. Soon it would be just him and Michael and that would be perfect.

“Michael? Are... are you okay?” he asked softly, sounding almost scared. He didn’t need to be scared, this was how things were supposed to be.

"I'm more than OK," he told Jeremy, sure his voice was soft. If Jeremy was scared, he should be soft to make him feel better, right? It... felt right. Plus, Jeremy liked soft things. Oh, hopefully he'd dress him up in soft things after this, once he accepted. "But I'll be even better once you accept."

“Accept what? What has he done to you?” The dull haze in Jeremy’s eyes cleared a little as they searched Michael’s for an answer. Oh, he was confused. Well Michael could explain, right? That’s what Jeremy wanted him to do.

"Accept me so we can be together," he explained, keeping that soft but sure voice. Jeremy seemed to react well to it. "You want me, and I want you to tell me what you want. What you want me to eat, drink, wear, play, do. I want to do anything and everything you tell me to do because what you want from me is what I want. So just accept it, accept me, and we can get out of here, head back to your penthouse. It'll be amazing."

“I- _no_, you’re not- I...” Jeremy couldn’t seem to form a full sentence. He looked over to JT. “Do it to me instead. Let him go and turn_ me_ into that. I’ll still be viable in ten years. Just _please_, let him go.”

“That ruins the fun, Jeremy. Besides, it’s what Michael wants. He_ likes_ being this way, and he wants you to be with him forever. Isn’t that right?”

Michael nodded. He just needed Jeremy to understand that this was alright, this was what he _really_ wanted (it was). "I do. I want this, I like this, and I want to be with you for as long as I can. I want to do everything you want me to do, no matter what it is. Please." Carefully, he reached up and cupped Jeremy's cheek, the unbandaged one, and smiled down at Jeremy. "Accept me and let me do everything you want me to do. Dress me up. Keep me at home or let me go get something from the store. Help me wash up. Whatever it is, I'll do it because you told me to, you wanted me to."

Jeremy seemingly couldn’t help but lean into his hand, eyes closing a little as he did. “I never thought I’d get another chance with you,” he murmured, his voice cracking. “How would I accept, if I choose to?”

Oh, he was finally listening, thank goodness. They were closer to what they both wanted now. Michael couldn’t help but smile wider. “Press over my heart where it says ‘accept.’” JT helped with that part. If Jeremy looked down, an ‘accept’ button would appear over his heart. As soon as he’d press it, then they would sync up and Michael would completely and utterly be Jeremy’s forever.

Jeremy looked downward and saw the button. It was green, like Jeremy had said Michael’s favorite color was. “So my options are shoot or accept? I either discharge my gun, or I keep Michael for... ten years?”

“Exactly. And after ten years, I’ll get your body to continue my control over the SQUIPs. But even then, you’ll still exist in part and Michael will still adore you.”

“So I get ten years of bliss with Michael, then it’s up to you what happens. But I’ll be the owner of the mask, since I’ll be you. Correct?”

“Yes,” JT confirmed excitedly. He motioned for Michael to continue helping Jeremy to choose the right option.

“And we’ll get to be together forever and ever, Jeremy. Everything will be as you want it. It’ll just be us, all nice and cozy and wherever you want us to be, however you want us to be,” Michael explained as he gently ran his thumb along Jeremy’s cheek. “Even after those ten years, it’ll still be us. Player One and Player Two against the world, just like you always wanted.”

“And I’ll be able to move after I make my choice?” he asked softly. JT nodded, and Michael knew Jeremy was about to choose. “Michael, please step back, I can’t really reach too well from where you are.” He chuckled weakly. “And when this is over, I _really_ want to hug you, if that’s okay?”

Yes, something Jeremy wanted of him! He was going to pick the right choice! “Of course it’s OK. It’s more than OK,” Michael reassured him, taking a step or so back so Jeremy could make the right decision. “I love you, Jeremy.”

“I love you too, Michael.” He smiled softly before swinging his arm up to the ceiling and discharging his gun. The gunshot shocked everyone, no one more than JT, who couldn’t even react before Jeremy kicked out his legs and reached to the back of his head, yanking the mask off and dancing out of the way of all the SQUIPs. “Time to see how trippy this is.” He put the mask on.

Michael couldn’t react, the shell-shock and whiplash of being suddenly ripped out of JT’s programming making him stumble and fall on his knees. For some reason, the shock of it all had him coughing and gasping, though Michael quickly found his breath as a small storm whipped around Jeremy for a few seconds. He managed to look up at Jeremy, still reeling, as the clouds evaporated away.

Jeremy was standing there, looking almost the same as normal. Except for the green face, of course. He had his repaired cardigan on, an astronaut kitty shirt, jeans, and hello kitty sneakers. And his chunky glasses too.

“What have you _done_, Jeremy? Why would you give that up?” JT sounded like he was just as winded as Michael had been.

“Jeremy? Errrr, you made a mistake there grandpa. I’m _Remy_.” He sounded so much more chaotic, but still too true to himself. In an instant, Remy was by Michael’s side and they were both several steps away from JT. He grabbed Michael’s hand gently and pressed a kiss to the back, bowing low at the waist. “Enchanté, mon coeur,” he murmured huskily.

Michael couldn’t help but let out an airy laugh (partially thanks to being winded) as he smiled up at Remy. “I never took French so I’m not too sure what you said. I’m sure it was sweet and romantic as hell though.” He looked Remy’s outfit over again and let out a softer laugh this time. “I really like this look on you. It suits you... because you _are_ you right now, Remy. Just the more chaotic side of you.”

Remy spun Michael and dipped him. “Correct,” he agreed, kissing Michael’s nose and righting him. “Still 💯 percent me! And more, because I’m totally cured!” Remy launched himself up and bounced around the room, objects like the chandelier and the welcome desk lighting up upon impact and making a _dong_ like in pinball.

Michael couldn’t help but be entranced by him (is this how people felt around Karl? Holy shit was it intoxicating), watching him zoom and launch himself around with glee. He couldn’t help but laugh, his eyes never leaving Remy’s form. “You’re doing great, sweetie!”

Remy landed in front of him, beaming brightly (but not too brightly, he was a considerate guy and not trying to blind him). “You bet your cute little tushy I am. I feel fandabbydozy!” He giggled wildly, spinning around. “Now, I have plans, but for them, I’m gonna need-“

“Look out!” Jake yelled just as the gunshot went off.

Jake pinned JT within seconds, cuffing him, but the damage was done.

The sudden sharp pain that stemmed from Michael’s side was agonizing. Before it really hit though, Michael looked down and saw the damage that was done. His shirt (thank god he left the hoodie at home) has been ripped and ruined, as his side got grazed by the bullet JT fired. It didn’t get in too deep, but it was bad.

Jake saved him from worse.

Then the pain _really_ kicked in, and Michael’s legs gave out from under him. He didn’t really know what to do since shock was kicking in, though he felt warm arms catch him so his head didn’t hit the floor. Oh, how nice and considerate.

“I got you, honey. S’okay,” Remy murmured, running his fingers through Michael’s hair before pulling out a comically sized bandaid. He carefully lifted Michael’s shirt and placed the bandaid over the graze, then kissed his fingertips. The little heart was pressed to the bandaid and the pain bled away. “There we go, that should hold you until we can get you checked out at the hospital,” Remy cooed, nuzzling against Michael’s cheek sweetly.

Michael just nodded, which had him nuzzling Remy’s nuzzling. Wow. Nuzzle-ception... The shock was still there. “Thank you,” he got out as he tried to stand up- nope, that wasn’t happening. He could barely even lift his arm up right now, even if the pain was temporarily gone.

“You’re not fit to stand yet, so says Doctor Remy.” Remy nodded seriously. “But I know who might be able to help out, if it’s okay with you? I need a little help to deal with the homicidal maniac since I can’t affect him alone.” Remy pulled up a console, which looked a lot like Fallout actually, and started typing. “I’m normally against cheat codes but for you my dear- anything.” He shut the console. “Can you equip that or do you need some help, sugar?”

Michael had an idea on what he needed to do, but he couldn’t really work with Remy’s game logic right now. “I definitely need some help, Remy. Thank you for breaking your oath on never using cheat codes by using them for me.” He reached up, even if it was hard to do, so he could hold Remy’s free hand for a moment.

Remy cooed over him and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. “Of course, my love. Like I said: _anything_ for you.” It was a little strange feeling someone else put the mask on him (the duplicate one anyway) but Remy continued to hold him through the transformation, grinning a little madly as he changed.

Even if he was Karl now, he knew he was one and the same now. Seeing Remy helped prove that to him. He felt... whole now that he realized this, and by the time the transformation ended, he was holding onto Remy too, grinning madly down at his love.

He wore a red jacket this time with white pants and a grey top. There were more than a few brooches and pins on his jacket, but it felt right. A true blend of Karl and Michael.

“Hello, my darling,” Karl cooed down at Remy, holding him closer as he absolutely giggled. “I love the get-up. You should wear that more often.”

“I think I might.” Remy giggled as they stood up together still clinging to one another. He looked Karl over. “And it’s nice to see _you_ looking your best ever too, sweetheart.” He tugged on the lapel of the jacket with one hand. “If we had the time, I might even suggest we have some fun since we’re so fashion forward, but we have work to do. _Someone_ in this room just doesn’t know how to dress themselves. I mean, did you _see_ what he wore when he was wearing the mask? It was atrocious!”

“Oh god, _tell_ me about it! He was a dramatic anime villain gone techno. It was just _hideous_ and lacked any taste or actual care and love. Even after all he’s done to us, I think the least we can do is give him a proper makeover, yes?”

“I mean, he _did_ half raise me. Might as well leave him a parting gift,” Remy agreed. “But first.” He twirled Karl and dipped him, kissing him passionately enough to make him dizzy. When Remy finally stood him back up, Karl still had stars dancing around his head.

“I like being on the receiving end of _that_,” Karl cheered out, grinning madly down at Remy as the stars slowly transformed into hearts. “Glad to know we can both sweep each other off our feet.”

“Sure can, sweetie-pie,” Remy cooed before turning to face JT. The villain in question looked more than a little terrified and Karl knew that he was being effected. Nothing could stand in the way of true love (or two masks). “Let’s see, I’m thinking white? Yeah, white. And sleeves, he seems to like those.” Remy pulled out a tape measure and now had a pincushion on his wrist.

“Oh for sure,” Karl agreed, resting his own tape measure around his neck for now. He held a pin between his teeth as he faced JT. “And he likes the shiny, metallic look. He deserves some nice metal accessories as well. Something that lights up too. What do you think, darling?”

“For sure,” Remy agreed sagely. Together they advanced on JT, who had been forced to stand by Jake. Remy reached out and spun JT, and when he stopped spinning, he had a clean, white straight jacket on with metallic straps on the arms and light up buckles. “I still think it’s missing something,” he mused.

"I got it," Karl reassured him, grabbing JT and twirling him around. When he stopped him, he had a ball and chain around one ankle as well as an unactivated ankle bracelet on the other. It was one of those that people had when put under house arrest. "Now he has all of his accessories!"

“Perfect!” Remy cried, hugging Karl from the side. “You made his outfit perfect! And I know_ just _where to show it off!”

"I have an idea of where you want to show him off, but let's send someone on a well-deserved break." Karl turned with Remy to look at Jake, giving him a smile. "Thank you, Jake. We'll be back at my apartment shortly, but let's give you a nice shortcut. Cue the transition!"

"The wh-" Jake was twirled away, popping away after enough spins.

“Beautifully done, my love,” Remy cooed, leaning against Karl’s shoulder. “Since you helped Jake so sweetly, you want me to transition us to JT’s next big gig?”

“Of course.” Karl looked at all of the frozen-in-place (out of fear and literally) SQUIPs. “Eh, they’ll thaw out and get found soon enough.” He waved his hand at them before turning to JT, grinning handsomely. “Time to go!”

He spun the three of them around then, holding Remy close with an arm. Karl only stopped when they appeared at their desired location: outside of the police station. “Almost spun us one too many times. Glad we didn’t end up at the Statue of Liberty,” Karl laughed out as he firmly planted their feet on the ground.

“Kinda hard to focus around you~,” Remy hummed, nuzzling himself against Karl’s chest. “Glad to see you set us back on course.” JT looked a little queasy. “Oh! I forgot an accessory for our little starlet!” Remy darted behind JT, crouching and reaching up to his back pocket. The Skyrim pickpocketing sound happened and Remy wandered back over. “Confessional of all his crimes, excluding me, Jake, and a few other nice people from the organisation,” he singsonged.

"Oh, you're _so_ nice, dear," Karl cooed out, pressing a few kisses to Remy's head and pulling him close. "Now, we just have to make sure our star has an audience." With his free hand, Karl put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.

All of the officers, including Officer Rolan, came out. They were all a bit confused, especially with the tasteful party hats. "You want to do the honors, Remy?"

“Oh, you’re so thoughtful!” Remy cried before turning to the policemen. He was now in a striped blazer and a big, bushy mustache, and he was holding a cane. “Ladies, gentlemen, and anyone in between! Presenting the one, the only, JT! Not only had this man been leading the SQUIP Organisation for twenty-three years, he has also been found guilty of kidnapping!” A flashing sign appeared over JT’s head after a small drumroll. “Forgery!” Another sign after another drumroll. “Murder! And-“ a big drumroll lead up to this one. “Tax evasion!”

Karl dramatically gasped as Remy finished up. "Oh no! Not tax evasion!" He looked over to Remy with wide eyes the spotlights started to dance around the parking lot outside of the police station where they were. "What an evil man! What do the officers have to do to be able to put him under arrest?!"

“You, yes you-” Remy nodded at Officer Rolan when he pointed at himself in shock. “-can arrest this man for the low, low price of: nothing!” Confetti cannons went off around everyone. “All that needs to happen is that partial credit for the arrest is given to Derek Rolan, for his contribution in locating him tonight.” Remy twirled his cane. “So, whaduya say, folks? Who’s gonna take home the prize?”

"Wait, Derek helped-"

"Yes he did! Now, we unfortunately don't have all night. Deal... or no deal?"

Officer Rolan seemed a bit taken aback before he nodded. "Uh... deal?"

The spotlights all stopped on him and JT as the audience (no one ever sees the audience during good TV) clapped for them. "He said deal, my dear! He gets the man and we get to go home!" Karl cheered as he scooped up Remy and twirled him once in joy.

Remy, back in his normal clothes, grinned and cheered. “You’ve just made the best choice of your life, sir! Congratulations!” An iron cage appeared around JT and a giant stamp of ‘Jailed’ left a big red mark across it. The officers quickly started forward to get JT into the station to lock him up properly.

In the chaos, Remy tugged Karl down and connected their lips. “Let’s get you home, hun. I’ve got a feeling my little cheat code isn’t going to last much longer, and we don’t need a second police scandal tonight,” he murmured, scooping up Karl into a bridal carry and fast travelling back to the apartment.

Karl just hummed as they appeared in the middle of the living room, right in front of the TV. Which was playing. They inevitably scared the shit out of Jake, causing him to fall off the couch he seemed to have just settled down on.

"Hey, K- I..." Rich took in Karl and Remy (how could he not?) before his eyes went wide. "Wait... _Jeremy_?"

“In the flesh... sort of. You can call me Remy for now, and Jeremy when I’m totally myself again.” Remy grinned, setting Karl back on his feet gently. Remy’s expression was tender and sweet, almost softer than it had been since first seeing Michael. “It’s good to see you again, Richie.” He sounded very emotional.

"I thought- we- I..." Rich quickly scrubbed at his face as he just nodded. "It's good to see you, Remy, so damn good."

"Wait, you went and saved _Jeremy _from the big bad SQUIP boss? He... he was kidnapped and turned into a SQUIP, wasn't he?"

"Ding-ding-ding, give the lady her prize!" A plush bear popped into her lap. "There it is. But yup, and I was dating him. It's a big mess of a story, and I don't think we have time to retell it before the copy mask Remy gave me wears off," Karl said with a sigh, already starting to feel the mask wearing off, which was weird.

“Don’t push yourself, sweetheart,” Remy fussed softly. “You got shot, and even with my TLC it’s gonna take a lot out of you. As soon as the cheat code wears off, we’re taking you straight to the hospital, okay? In fact...” He pointed to the door to the linen closet. “That will take us all there. It’ll only last an hour, but shortcuts are important.” He nodded, wrapping himself around Karl again, ever careful of his side that was starting to ache again.

"Wait, you got_ shot_?!" Brooke asked, standing up then. The bear sadly dropped to the floor. "Jake, why didn't you say that he got shot?!"

"I didn't have the chance to yet, I just got here," Jake defended with a pout from where he was still half-fallen off the couch.

“It was only a flesh wound.” Remy nodded. “Jake saved his life, so be nice Ms. Brookie.” About three Remy’s were over by Jake’s side in that moment, helping him up and dusting him off before vanishing again.

“That... this is something to get used to. Karl was more than a lot to begin with, now we have _two_.” Brooke chuckled fondly.

“Well, not usually two at once. More like pick and mix between us! Even if both of us _would_ be a dream come true for everyone, I’m sure. Certainly for me.”

"Aww, you're sweet, dear," Karl cooed out, though he definitely needed to sit down. Using his powers only agitated the wound further, so he just plopped down with Remy in the loveseat for now. "While it_ is_ the dream, I'd rather have just you if I had to pick between the both of us. While Karl is amazing, I adore Remy more. Plus, it was nice to feel what everyone normally feels around me."

“We’ll share it, then. Since I do adore both sides of this,” Remy cooed, pressing a big kiss to Karl’s cheek. The heart floated into the air and popped cutely. Everyone ‘aww’ed at them. “Here it comes. Just relax and let it happen, hun. And if you need to pass out or you need me to do anything, you just say. I’m gonna make sure you’re safe. I promise,” Remy stated firmly but sweetly. Karl believed him wholeheartedly.

Michael had experienced a few ways for the mask to be removed, but he never had it just fade away. One would think it would be calming and relaxing, but the waves of pain from his side and the exhaustion of being Karl made it hell. Somehow, he was unfortunate enough to stay conscious as he hissed and cried, clinging onto Remy as the pain hit him in waves. “God, it fucking hurts worse than before.”

Remy shushed him gently. “It’s because I caught the pain before it really hit you, hun. This is what it actually feels like. Not fun. Trust me, I know.” He pulled out a clipboard. “According to the narrative, we need to hear to the hospital now, and I think that’s an excellent idea. Everyone else agree?”

"The narrat-"

"Just go with it, babe," Rich told Jake before nodding. "Yeah, we all agree. You go first through the linen closet and get our boy some medical attention."

Remy scooped Michael up so carefully that he didn’t even feel the change. “Never thought I’d be going back _into_ the closet,” he joked, stepping through the travel point and into the hospital waiting area. “Nurse, this man has been _shot_! He needs medical attention, STAT!”

A passing nurse turned around suddenly, obviously surprised by the sudden appearance in the otherwise vacant waiting room. "Wh-" They locked their eyes on Michael then and turned. "I'll be right back." They quickly vanished through double doors, calling for some others to help and a gurney.

Michael looked up at Remy, resting his head against his chest as he tried to stay awake. He read somewhere (and honesty read enough weird things) to know that when someone was shot, it wasn't good for them to slip into unconsciousness. Why sort of slipped his mind at the moment. "Thank you, Remy."

“Of course, hun. I’m gonna let the trained professionals take it from here, okay? And I’ll be back with you as Jeremy as soon as I can. I love you, more than life itself,” Remy murmured. He looked over to the nurses now rushing in.

"I love you too, so damn much," he got out before he was carefully, with Remy and the nurses' help, onto the gurney. Michael tried so hard to stay conscious, but lying down and not being in Remy's arms (the magic from him seemed to help him stay awake), along with the blood loss and pain, finally led him to pass out.


	11. The 'Sweet' Hospital Scene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, this chapter has our sweet little hospital scene. Michael wakes up, we get some nice reunions, and some talks that need to happen before the next chapter, which is the long recovery chapter. ;3c Also, Michael is high on pain killers in this chapter, so be prepared for that and the verbal shenanigans that will ensue.
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara: 
> 
> 'Hey lovelies! So Michael is alive, Jeremy is safe (and maybe remembers?) and everything is gonna be okay. That’s the theory, anyways.
> 
> People, both familiar and maybe unfamiliar come to visit Michael in hospital. And it’s time for certain truths to some out. Enjoy!'

Michael felt surprisingly alright as he started to fade back into consciousness. Was he on drugs? If so, they were definitely good drugs. Not like weed, but still good to keep him zen and calm and pain-free. Mm... Yeah, he probably at least had some IV in his arm somewhere to feed it into his bloodstream. Nice.

He slowly blinked, letting his eyes adjust to the probably-bright lights of the hospital room he'd been in (yup, they were bright). Up he reached to rub at his eyes to get any spots of color out of there, and he felt a slight shift of a thin, plastic tube. Yup, _definitely_ on something._ Nice_.

“Michael? Are you... feeling alright?” a familiar, worried voice asked from next to him. Oh yeah, Jeremy was there. That made sense considering he was back, then he was Remy, and then he remembered. Wait, Jeremy_ remembered_!

Michael quickly opened his eyes, looking up and over at Jeremy then. He was right by his side in the chair next to his bed. He was Jeremy again, not Remy, and he looked so gorgeous... Maybe the drugs weren't helping with his mental capacity at the moment... Nah, Jeremy was _always_ gorgeous to him. "Hi. I'm feeling a lot better and like I have drugs in me, which means I'm feeling_ way_ better than I would if I wasn't on drugs, so yes, I'm feeling more than alright... Did that make sense?"

Jeremy smiled softly, looking at Michael fondly. “Yeah, that made sense. I’m glad you’re alright.” He sort of twitched weirdly, like he was about to take Michael’s hand, but stopped himself. Why would he stop himself?

Since he didn’t reach for his hand, Michael whined a little and made grabby hands for Jeremy’s hand. “Yeah, thanks to you. And Jake. But also you.”

Jeremy seemed to relax a little and took Michael’s hand with a small smile. “Jake saved your life. Which wouldn’t have even been in danger if I hadn’t done anything, so I’m sorry.” His smile fell a little, and even in his drugged up state, Michael could tell something was troubling Jeremy. A lot of somethings, probably.

"But you didn't do anything. It was all that dickwad JT's anythings that were done... Wait, that wasn't the right way to say that. Whatever. The point is that you didn't do shit wrong, JT did, but now he's in prison and will be locked away forever for his crimes," he told Jeremy, squeezing his hand as he smiled back up at him.

“He will,” Jeremy agreed softly. “And Jake and me and the nicer SQUIPs like us have all been removed from the record. We were just kidnapping victims if we were mentioned at all.” The next words Jeremy spoke were said very carefully, as if he wasn’t sure if he should. “I’ve missed you a lot, Michael. Really a lot.”

"I've missed you too, Jeremy. I'm so glad that you're back," Michael told him with a smile. "God, you have no idea how much I've missed you."

“I have some idea, even if I didn’t realize it until a few hours ago.” Jeremy chuckled softly. “But I’m home now, if you’ll still have me.”

"Of course I will, you dingus. I can't live without you again," Michael admitted, squeezing Jeremy's hand once more before interlocking their fingers. "And that isn't the drugs talking, it's me, I swear."

Jeremy’s face twitched, like he was holding back a reaction, but he continued smiling.

"And I'm not _that_ drugged up to not notice that something's wrong. Tell drugged-up Michael what's wrong and I won't have any filter to keep me back from giving you the honest truth."

Jeremy’s shoulders slumped. “It’s just...” He seemed to be debating what to say before he finally huffed and seemed to give in. “You seemed to believe something different this morning. And I don’t blame you...” he admitted softly, looking down at his lap as if in shame.

Oh shit, that's right. Had it really only been this morning? "There were a multitude of factors affecting that," Michael pointed out with a pout. "One of them was magic, as well as JT's manipulation. I know that none of that was you. JT was making the lies seem like facts and the fact seem like lies. So it's not you, it's that jerkwad."

“Some of his points were valid, though. I’ve done a _lot_ of bad things, and I’m not the same person I used to be... not by a long shot. And even if what he said was lies, the fact you believed it enough for the magic to work says enough.” He sighed heavily. “I just... I don’t think I can handle having you accept me then reject me again. I’m...”

"Jeremy, like I said, he manipulated me and used the magic. He used something I didn't know about myself and don't even know and gave baseless reasoning to blame it on you. And even if you've done bad things and you've changed, that doesn't mean that you aren't the Jeremy who spent all his allowance on a plush for me because you were sad that I had bronchitis and was out of school for almost three weeks."

Jeremy chuckled weakly. “Mr. Turtle was squished flat within a year because you kept sleeping on him.” He sighed again. “I... I wanted to try to stop it from happening. I didn’t want to hurt you and I hated that they were using me against you, but I couldn’t. I promise, I wasn’t ignoring you or even listening to orders or anything.”

"Yeah, I figured they were using something on you. I started to get it in my head then JT used the magic and kept any logical thoughts out of my head at first." He looked down at their intertwined hands. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. Even if you say you're a bad person or deserve it or something I do not believe, I'm still sorry. All of this isn't something you should've ever had to go through, no matter what they've taught you to think or whatever guilt tells you to think."

“I... okay...” he muttered eventually. “I’ll try to believe that. I trust you, Michael.” That was weird, normally he would have slipped in a ‘Mikey’ by now. He loved the nickname and so did Michael. Why wasn’t he using it?

"Remy? Why aren't you calling me 'Mikey' right now?" That's what happens when drugs take away Michael's copious amount of filters he learned over the years.

Jeremy flinched a little. He looked down again, head bowed almost submissively, like when Michael first said his name during the rescue mission. “Am I allowed to?” he almost whimpered.

"Of course you are. I'm not keeping you from doing anything," Michael told him, very confused. Why did he need permission to do that?

“Okay, thank you.” He sounded relieved, as if that had been a really big thing. Like Michael had given him a big honor. What?

"Wh... why are you thanking me? I'm very lost and confused right now."

“I’m sorry.” Jeremy still didn’t look up. “I... I spend a good portion of today drugged up on what SQUIPs call Dolly. It’s what they used on me this morning, why I couldn’t do anything,” he explained softly. “It stops you moving, you can be posed but you can’t move yourself. And it stops you speaking too. And if you spend too long on it, it can have some... side effects. Your brain can sort of be posed too. And...” Michael couldn’t really make out his next words.

"Your brain can be posed and then what?"

“They told me I didn’t deserve you. That you hated me and never wanted to see me again. And that I’d only hurt you. My brain kept those poses,” Jeremy whimpered, curling in on himself but never letting go of Michael’s hand.

"I'm gonna kick all those assholes' asses for doing that to you because none of that is true," Michael reassured him, keeping his gaze locked on Jeremy. "You deserve the whole damn world! I love you with all of my heart and as soon as JT's spell broke on me, I only wanted to go and get you back. You never hurt me, JT did. I'll do what I can to help you with that, especially when I'm not drugged up and useless."

“It was my fault they hurt you in the first place.” Jeremy sighed softly, still not looking up. “I love you so much, and the thought that you hated me that much... it was a lot. Not in a good way.”

"Well I don't hate you. I'll tell you I love you every single day to remind you of that," Michael promised him as he gently tugged at his hand. "And it's _their_ fault 'cause they took you in the first place."

“I just don’t want to hurt you, I_ never _want to hurt you.”

"_You_ have never hurt me, Jeremy. Well, except when you accidentally pushed me off the swing when you meant to push me higher. You cried more than I did."

Another weak chuckle. It was progress... maybe. “Like I said. Never.”

"Like _I _said, you never have except that one time when we were seven. You're fine, Remy, but we'll work on it until you _know_ you're fine."

“Thanks, M-Mikey.” Then his head shot up and Jeremy’s gaze fixated on the door. “Someone’s coming. And it’s not... anyone’s patterns I recognize...” He looked beyond confused. There was a soft knock on the door.

"Baby, are you awake?" came the soft voice of Mama. Michael couldn't help but light up- he hadn't seen his moms since summer break. Before he answered, he looked over to Jeremy, making sure he was alright with this (and to see if he recognized Mama's voice).

Jeremy’s eyes widened and that look pretty much confirmed that he recognized her. Several emotions flashed across his face, including guilt, joy, fear, and love before it settled on one Michael hadn’t seen from him in what felt like forever: hope.

The door opened slowly.

In walked in Mama and Ina, both bundled up in their winter coats. Their eyes locked in on Michael past the empty bed, relief spreading across their features. Then their gazes shifted a little further and they froze in place, staring right at Jeremy. So many emotions danced across both of their features before Ina looked back. "P-paul, you might want to give me the drinks." She quickly turned around, probably to intercept Mr. Heere. "Don't ask why, Paul, just give them to me."

“Okay, okay, don’t rush me, Tash,” Mr. Heere grumbled playfully and Jeremy’s expression almost broke.

“Mama? Ina?” he said slowly, almost as though he were trying out the words. The door pushed opened wider at that point and Mr. Heere pushed himself forwards. His eyes were wide, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing and seeing.

“Dad?” Jeremy’s voice was shaking and he was shaking as he slowly stood and made his way over. Mr. Heere was frozen in place as he reached out hesitantly to Jeremy. A million emotions passed over his face.

“Jeremy?” he asked softly.

“Dad.” Jeremy practically collapsed into his father’s arms, sobbing.

Ina and Mama quickly made their way around before the moment really started, going over to sit by Michael. Ina put down a drink holder of four different drinks before coddling over him while chastising him. "You had us worried sick, mister. When we got a call that you got shot,_ shot_, we stopped unpacking our bags and hurried right over with Paul. Are you alright now?"

"I'm drugged to hell and back, I'm good. And I got _grazed_, not completely shot," he reassured them, especially to Mama. "I promise I'll be fine. 'Tis but a flesh wound, Mama."

“It didn’t pierce anything vital, just skimmed him, and we got him to the hospital in less than twenty minutes,” Jeremy softly added from his place in Mr. Heere’s arms. He didn’t seem to be moving away from there anytime soon. “He’ll be okay, but he might have a scar from it.”

Mama nodded before going over to Jeremy, letting Ina continue to coddle Michael. She went over and cupped Jeremy's cheeks. "Oh my_ god_, Jeremy... We missed you so much."

Jeremy practically melted at the gentle touch, tears starting to fall again. Happy tears though, from what Michael could see. “I missed you all too. So much,” he sobbed.

"We're so glad you're here. You have years worth of birthday gifts to catch up on and holiday gifts too," Mama said as she seemed to be crying too. "If we had known you were here, we would've gotten you some hot cocoa."

“Thanks- Thanks, Mama.” Jeremy sniffled, leaning against his dad and into Mama’s hands, which were gently rubbing his cheeks. “But it doesn’t matter. I’m here now. I’m _home_. I found home again.”

"And at home, you should have some hot cocoa if everyone else gets a nice drink," Mama told him, squishing his cheeks somewhat as Ina tried telling her to stop. "I will not stop coddling my other son, Tash."

“Your other-“ Jeremy’s eyes filled with happy tears again. “I love you, Mama. I love you, Ina.” Jeremy buried his face against his dad’s shoulder. “I love you dad.”

“God, Jeremy, I’ve missed you so much. I always knew you’d come home,” Mr. Heere murmured, finally finding his voice. Jeremy sniffled out a small chuckle, the sound dying off to a small, happy whimper.

“Even if I had to go through hell to get here, I’m here.”

"We're happy you're here too, hun," Mama said, pressing a kiss to the top of Jeremy's head before stepping back and rubbing her face carefully.

“I’m so sorry for disappearing. I didn’t leave on purpose, I promise!” And those sobs were sounding remarkably less happy. Oh dear. Maybe Michael should explain just to make things easier.

Before his brain could catch up to what he was doing, Michael explained as best he could the situation. After all, if everyone understood, then they wouldn't have to worry about explaining later. Here and now was good before Jeremy cried himself into a bad mindset. Right?

Well, even if he wasn't the most eloquent, Michael finished just as he felt some more of those good ol' pain killers kicks in. Oooh, nice.

Everyone was staring at him agape. Except Jeremy, who chuckled weakly, detached himself from his dad and came over to sit on the bed. “I had intended to wait a little to tell tell them, Mikey,” he murmured, his voice a little hoarse, as he took Michael’s hand.

"Well they needed to know, Remy," Michael whined as he looked over at Jeremy, pouting. "You probably would've held it off for, like, forever unless I told them!"

“I mean, you’re not wrong.” Jeremy chuckled again, squeezing Michael’s hand. “But telling them their son is one of the most dangerous assassins in the world could have been done a little gentler.”

“What, so that’s what actually happened and isn’t just the painkillers speaking?” Ina asked incredulously. Jeremy nodded solemnly.

“Yeah, it’s all true. Down to the magic mask.” He pulled it out of his pocket to show. “See?”

Michael made grabby hands at the mask. Seeing it again made him want to be Karl, because as Karl he didn’t have to worry about pain medication (even if it felt nice) or being hurt or anything. Jeremy kept pulled it back and put it into his inside suit pocket. “No, not until you’re better. You’re liable to tear a stitch if you exert yourself too much at the moment,” he chastised gently.

"But Jeremyyy," Michael whined out, though he dropped his hands down across his belly. "How long will it take for me to be better? I don't wanna take too long."

"OK, I'm gonna... I'm gonna take a quick breather in the bathroom," Mama said before promptly walking into said bathroom and shutting the door.

“I do not blame her one bit. It’s a lot to take-“ Jeremy’s small giggle was cut off as his eyes suddenly narrowed at the door. He was on his feet and striding over there, past his dad and Ina, a moment later.

Michael frowned as he watched Jeremy go over. He knew that look. It was the SQUIP look. "Wait, what's happening?" Ina asked, obviously lost on what Jeremy was doing.

Jeremy raised his finger to his lips, silently shushing her. She fell silent again, looking concerned.

The door burst open and a SQUIP from earlier burst in. He didn’t see Jeremy pressed up against the wall next to the door, too focused on Michael in the bed. The gun he was carrying was suddenly aimed right at Michael. “There you are, you little shit.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, two-oh-three,” Jeremy growled darkly. The SQUIP’s expression froze in shock and he spun around.

“Six hundred, I-“ Before the SQUIP said anything further, Jeremy grabbed him, forcing him to discharge the gun into the SQUIP’s own leg. Jeremy then made him drop the gun (which he kicked away) and landed a hard blow to the bullet wound. The SQUIP collapsed in a whimpering mess, and Jeremy kicked his head for good measure.

“Don’t fucking point a gun at my boyfriend,” he spat, kicking the SQUIP again so he was out of the room.

Ina and Mr. Heere both seemed to be speechless, and Michael couldn't blame them for seeing Jeremy like this so suddenly when they were used to him, well, not being an assassin. Mama slowly peeked her head out of the bathroom, a look that could only be described as 'scared shitless' on her face. "I... what was _that_?" she asked, her voice cracking more than once.

“SQUIP. I’m guessing some of the higher levels are going to be making attempts on Michael since he was the last mission for them all. The reason JT got taken down,” Jeremy said seriously, pulling out a handkerchief and picking up the gun. “I’ve got to deal with this. The nurses will be here soon, and then I also need to do a sweep and deal with any other shitheads.” Jeremy walked over to Michael. “I’ll be back in a few hours at most. Love you.” He leant down, but hesitated just short of Michael’s lips.

Michael quickly leaned up, kissing Jeremy quickly before lying fully back on his bed. "Love you," Michael echoed with a smile. "Be safe out there, OK?"

“With you waiting for me to come back here? Wouldn’t dream of doing anything less.” He smiled before he stood up properly. “I’ll be back soon. I’ve just got to make sure it’s safe. Michael can answer most of the questions you probably have, he knows most of everything, but I really have to go.” With that, Jeremy left the room, schooling his face into a shocked expression as the door closed and a nurse came hurrying over.

Looking at the adults in the room, Michael just gave as reassuring of a smile. "I need to go back into the bathroom," Mama said, breaking the silence as she shut the door again.

“Is... is that what he was like when you ran into him?” Mr. Heere asked softly.

  
“Kinda. He was worse, when I caught him on the job. Almost killed me since he didn’t remember.”

  
“Holy shit.” Mr. Heere half stumbled to a chair. “I haven’t seen him in so long, but I barely recognized him just now. I can’t imagine how- Holy shit.”

"I just sort of got used to it, I guess," Michael said with a shrug as he looked over to the door, hearing Jeremy's voice fade away along with whatever conversation he had with the nurse.

“That’s not something you should get used to, Michael. Not in less than a month,” Mr. Heere said firmly, running his hand through the remnants of his hair anxiously as he tried to process.

“So! You and Jeremy are together?” Ina asked, obviously trying to break the heavy atmosphere. Her smile was somewhat pained.

"Yeah, we've been together for a week, maybe a few days more? I'd need to look at a calendar to remember," Michael muttered out. "We sorta had to keep it secret for obvious reasons. It was... weird, but it was a weird and odd situation."

“And he didn’t remember you at first?” Ina asked softly, reaching over and taking his hand again.

"Nope. He didn't remember me," he explained as he turned his head to look at Ina and not the door. "Not until... uh..." It took him a second to remember. "Not until yesterday, I don't think."

“Did him remembering have something to do with why you had to patch him up?” Mr. Heere asked softly. Michael was a little surprised. “I know what it looks like when you patch someone up, Michael. I’m the one who taught you how to in the first place.”

Oh. Right. "Uh, well I'm not sure... I _did_ patch him up yesterday, but he remembered before I met up with him and patched him up." Even if he had no filters because of the sweet, sweet pain killers, he wasn't going to yap about yesterday night when he caught Jeremy. Nope. "At least, that's what he told me."

“Okay. I-“

  
“That’s enough, Paul. You can ask Jeremy anything you want to know later, let’s just be happy he’s home and that Michael didn’t get hurt worse.” Ina cut him off, giving him a hard look. Mr. Heere looked sheepish.

  
“She’s right. I’m glad you’re okay, Michael, really. I’m just a little overwhelmed.”

"I get that," Michael said, and he did. "A lot's happened over the past few weeks, so... yeah. It's a lot. I'd explain better if I wasn't drugged up." He gave an apologetic smile then. "Sorry, Mr. Heere."

“Michael, you got_ shot_. I know from experience that it takes a lot out of you.” Mr. Heere rolled his right shoulder almost subconsciously. “I should have been more considerate of that fact.” He sighed and leant forwards with a small smile. “I’m guessing as a... SQUIP, Jeremy has made quite a lot of money, right? Has he been spoiling you rotten? He’s always had a habit of that.”

"Oh my god, yes he has. It's been really sweet and adorable, really. He got me really nice blankets, has treated me to nice sushi, visited me at work and during breaks, and he's gotten some nice stuff for me too. I wasn't wearing his stuff when I got- when I got shot, but it's just such comfy stuff he's been getting me." He let out a soft sigh (heh). "Even when he didn't remember me, he knew I liked soft things."

Ina was smiling. “He really must love you if he worked so hard to make you happy, even without knowing you properly.”

"I'd like to think so," Michael muttered out as he looked over at Ina then with a smile. "I mean... At one point, he said he'd be fine not remembering his old life if he got to spend it with me. I wanted to tell him that I knew him, but I didn't know how it would affect whatever stuff they did to give him basically amnesia. But... Where was I going with that?"

“The fact that Jeremy loves you a lot.” Ina chuckled. “From what you said, it sounds like his memories were repressed, and that he might have sort of remembered you. The fact that he _only _had you as even a vague memory is a tribute to how much he cares.”

Mr. Heere chuckled at that. “I can vouch. Jeremy had been crushing on you for a while by the time he was taken. I’m not sure how long, but I know he came out to me and asked if I would be mad. He’s had those feelings for a_ very_ long time.”

"Wait, really? How long do you think? I know I've liked him since I saw him with that new haircut that first day of freshman year," Michael admitted as he grinned at the memory. "I knew I was gay before then, but boy did he prove it."

“Considering he came out to me in your sophomore year, quite a while.”

"Oh wow. Yeah, he came out to me sophomore year too. I had to remind him that you wouldn't be upset and that you mentioned you swung both ways a few times to him to help him," Michael recalled before looking over to the drink holder. "Oh, you didn't even hand out the drinks yet, Ina!"

“You’re right!” Ina cried dramatically, grabbing two of them and passing them to Michael and Mr Heere. “Doctors have said you’re welcome to drink this, by the way.” Ina then stood and knocked on the bathroom door. “Hun, you ready to come out now? I’m handing out the hot cocoa.”

Mama poked her head out then, seemingly a lot more calm and composed. "Oh, I can't miss hot cocoa. You didn't start drinking my cup like the hot cocoa gremlin you are, right?"

“It was tempting, but no. Now come out here and listen to how much Jeremy has been spoiling our son.”

"You mean how much our other son has been spoiling our son?" Mama corrected before going over and scooping up the biggest cup of cocoa. "Oh, also, we didn't forget. We told them to make your cocoa cool, and by now, it should be cold."

"Oooh, thank you!" Michael happily sipped at his cold cocoa.

“Exactly,” Ina agreed, sitting down back in her place while Mama took Jeremy’s spot. “So Jeremy is very wealthy now, and he’s been spoiling Michael with clothes and food and blankets. And I feel like that’s not all?” she asked, turning back to face Michael.

"Well, with affection and nice words and romantic stuff," Michael added between sips of his cold cocoa. "We've also cuddled a lot. And played video games. And made blanket forts and slept in those."

“That’s so cute!” Mama cooed. Everyone flinched when the sound of gunshots echoed around from beneath them. “What games did you play?”

"Uh... Well, Jeremy said he was given the clothes he had been wearing and Apocalypse of the Damned after they erased his memory. He cared deeply for the game since it was one of the few things he had left from before... We played that. I think he almost cried at first when we played. We played a few other things, but mainly that."

“He still has- does he still have his cardigan?” Mr. Heere asked softly. It made sense, Mr. Heere had bought that for Jeremy as a grounding item for when his anxiety flared up. It was heavy in weight but it didn’t make him overheat. Mr. Heere was always proud of finding that.

"Yeah, he does. The 'M' I sewed in got messed up, but other than that, it's the same as the day we last saw him before he went missing. I... I had to keep myself from crying when I saw it. When he wore the outfit and had his glasses on, I had to hug him to keep myself from bawling."

Mr. Heere was smiling softly. “I don’t blame you, son.”

There was a knock on the window. When everyone looked over, Jeremy was hanging upside down somehow, grinning brightly. Ina hurried over and opened the window. It wasn’t big enough for Jeremy to fit through, but they could talk.

“Hey! Hospital’s clear, but there are a couple of groups around town I need to bust which means I’ll be gone longer than I thought. Michael will be released tomorrow morning, with pain medication, since it’s not too bad of a hit, so why don’t you all come to my apartment then and we can catch up properly? We can head over there together,” he offered, still upside down. He had his glasses in one hand, a pistol in the other.

"Oh, uh, sure. We'd love to catch up properly, hun-"

"He has a penthouse, he _always_ undersells it, Mama. Oh, it's super big too, and I'm sure you guys can sleep there and not have to spend the money on a hotel room. It's really nice," Michael reassured them. "Remy, you can let them stay at your place, right?"

“Sure! Uh, hold on.” Jeremy shoved his hand into a pocket, then held out the keycard he grabbed. “Address is on it. Just tell the guard I sent you and he’ll put in the code, he’s really nice. His name’s Ian. And Mama, Ina, you can take the guest bedroom. Please don’t go through the drawers on the left hand side table. Dad, you can use my room, just make sure to dismantle the blanket pile before bed, Michael and I sort of made one last night. There should be some spaghetti sauce I made in the fridge if you guys need dinner.” Jeremy glanced up. “Shit I gotta go. See you!” He dropped down as he shot upwards, apparently falling from the tenth floor. Michael wasn’t worried; he’d be fine. Jeremy was cool like that.

The rest of the adults seemed shocked, and Mama cursed as she almost dropped her cocoa. “Mama, you can’t say fuck.”

“Why can’t I? And if I can’t say it, you can’t either.”

“Because you’re my Mama, you’re not supposed to swear in front of the children.”

“Michael, you’re turning twenty-two in a few months-“

“Hun, I don’t think that’s such a big issue. Just let him be a good kid.” Ina chuckled, looking shell shocked. She put the keycard into her pocket after checking it over. “I know about that building, it’s really expensive. Just how rich_ is _Jeremy?” she asked incredulously, closing the window and sitting back down. Everyone tried to ignore the guy who fell down after Jeremy. He didn’t seem to be even close to as in control as Jeremy was.

"He literally owns the penthouse, Ina. He has a guard in his elevator," Michael explained. "Top floor, looks out over most of the city. He also said that half a million dollars was basically chump change for him."

Ina started a curse, but cut herself off. “Sorry, baby,” she apologized.

“Do you think Jeremy would mind if I borrowed some cash? My pay check is running a little late,” Mr. Heere joked weakly. Michael knew money was a sensitive topic in the Heere household, his wife had left him in part because he wasn’t very strong financially. The fact Jeremy had a lot of money must have been a shock to say the least.

"You'd have to ask him," Michael told him before quickly drinking some more cold cocoa. He wasn't good with socially sensitive topics like this. He didn't want to be rude and accidentally overstep a boundary. "I dunno really anything about his money except that he bought me a lot of stuff. And that he didn't let me pay for anything when I took him out for a date." Wait, was saying that not socially sensitive?

“He didn’t let you pay? Sounds about right. He was always insisting he use his allowance to buy you both slushies or ice creams after school,” Mr. Heere’s chuckle was a lot more relaxed that time. “I’d take the money then stick it back in his piggy bank when we got home.”

Oh good, he hadn't accidentally been socially insensitive. "Yeah, that was him during the date. He said that, since I came up with everything, he was going to pay. It wasn't even too much money, but he did it anyway," Michael rambled. "But we did spend a bit to end up winning the Sandshrew plush at the arcade. He didn't get why he loved it so much when we picked it out. It's at home and it's really soft."

“That’s so cute,” Mama cooed again. “Honey, you’re right. Jeremy_ is_ spoiling Michael.”

"I wanted to spoil him but he wouldn't let me, he said me being cute and affectionate and stuff was spoiling him," Michael whined before sipping the last of his cold cocoa.

“Well for someone in... Jeremy’s line of work, that is probably true. I can’t imagine he’d really have many people he’d receive genuine affection from, so being given as much as I know you would, it would have been a lot for him,” Mr. Heere mused, sounding a little sad.

“Yeah... but still, I wanna spoil him, even if it’s not the same way he spoils me... but seeing him so happy is good too, so maybe not,” Michael muttered as he thought it over.

“He clearly adores you, so just do what feels right,” Mama suggested. “He’ll love it regardless.”

Yeah, she was right. He smiled over at Mama then and told her, “Thanks, Mama.” He got a bit more comfortable in bed then and sighed. “Sorry that I’m probably not the best to talk to right now.”

“It’s okay, hun,” Ina murmured, running her fingers through his hair. “How about we head off now, let you get some rest, and we come back tomorrow morning with Jeremy to take you home?”

“Mm... OK,” he muttered out, leaning into the touch of her fingers. “I’ll miss you guys.”

“We’ll miss you too, baby, but we’ll bring you something for breakfast and something comfortable to change into tomorrow when you’re discharged,” Mama told him.

“Alright, that sounds good. Love you guys.”

“Love you too, baby,” Ina and Mama both murmured, pressing a kiss to Michael’s forehead. Mr. Heere came over and did the same.

“See you later, son. I’ll be back with your moms in the morning. Love you.”

“Love you too, Mr. Heere,” Michael said with a smile. He watched as the adults all got their things and left, waving and shutting the door behind them.

Well, there wasn’t much to do. He didn’t have his phone (if he did, he just couldn’t see it thanks to no glasses), so he listened to Ina’s suggestion and let himself fall asleep.


	12. Slowly But Surely, Things Get Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> So, this is the /very/ big recovery chapter. We haven't had a recovery chapter this long in, well, a long time. Hunker on down for this one and get ready for some good ol' recovery that'll tug at your heart strings in so many ways.
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara:
> 
> 'Hey lovelies! Recovery time! A lot has happened to our boys and it’s time to see just how much damage is done. Still, they’re together again and they have their families so they should be just fine. Enjoy!'

A week after being released from the hospital, Michael was definitely feeling a lot better. Plus, school was starting next week, so he sort of needed to be better so he could go to classes. So going to the store to pick up some quick last-minute groceries that Rich forgot to get (he insisted Michael not do the groceries this week while he was still recovering) was a good way to test if he could make it to classes.

He held a few light bags of snacks and such as he walked along, one earphone on and the other off to be aware of what was going on. In case anything happened and he needed to be on-guard, obviously. Even if it was only two in the afternoon, Michael had to be vigilant, just to be on the safe side.

Jeremy had promised that all the remaining SQUIP groups had been ‘taken care of’, but he still needed to be careful. There was a chance one could try to operate by themselves (Jeremy said they wouldn’t, but still!).

When Michael realized the only way home was via the park, thanks to a burst water main, he was less than pleased. There were more places to hide in the park, more possible threats. Ugh, not a good thing at all.

Still, he quickly redirected himself into the park, keeping a more vigilant eye out as he walked. It was just another test. He had to be ready to go to classes next week, and making sure he could easily spot any threats or dismiss there being any was a skill he needed. Even if walking through the park made his skin crawl and irritation rise up within him (why was he getting _irritated_ out of all things), Michael was fine. He _had_ to be fine.

When he finally made it out of the park, incident free, he relaxed a little. Still, he had to remain vigilant.

The rest of the walk home was quiet, but Michael’s irritation didn’t falter. Entering the apartment, Michael just wanted to go and hide in his room for a bit, away from everyone else, but it seemed like Jeremy had other ideas.

“Hey, hun. How was shopping? Here, let me get those for you.” He was chirpy and bright, a stark contrast to Michael’s mood right now.

"I got it," Michael bluntly said, walking into the kitchen.

"Woah, dude, you didn't have to say it so rude-like to Jeremy and snap at him when he did nothing wrong," Rich said from the living room, looking over.

"Well I didn't _mean_ to be rude, Rich! I just said that I got it! I'm just not in the mood to be around people right now, OK?"

"Doesn't mean you need to be a bit of an asshole to everyone," Rich added with a huff. God damn, Rich!

“Michael? Did... something happen?” Jeremy peeked into the kitchen, looking a little hesitant. His voice was soft, as if he were trying to calm Michael. Maybe. Maybe it was something else, but Michael really didn’t care right about then. He just wanted to be left alone.

"I dunno, I just went grocery shopping, came back later because I had to fucking detour through the park because of of a burst water main, and I just wanna be left alone right now," Michael explained as he hastily took things out of their bags and put them away. "That's the only something that happened, but I just don't want to be around people right now!"

"Michael!"

"Richard!"

“O-oh, okay then!” Jeremy’s voice was back to being chirpy, but it sounded forced. Something was definitely up with him, but Michael didn’t have the capacity to figure out what at the moment. “I guess I’ll leave you to it!” He ducked out the kitchen.

“You’re an ass, you know that, Mell? He was just trying to help. He loves you and there was no need to be a dick to him,” Rich huffed before storming out, probably to check on Jeremy.

"I wasn't _trying _to be!" Michael called out after Rich before groaning. He bunched up the plastic bag in his hand and chucked it at the wall. It bounced against it and to the ground, and it just got him even more irritated. "God damn, that wasn't even satisfying!" He just left the soda out on the counter as he stormed to his room to _finally_ be left alone.

Being alone helped... to a point. He was still angry, still frustrated, and nothing seemed to be helping. He flopped back onto his bed, a little annoyed when Jeremy’s cardigan flopped against his head. He tossed it away, then felt a little guilty.

He_ had_ been kinda rude to Jeremy, hadn’t he? And to Rich. Ugh, what was wrong with him at the moment?

Michael reached over and picked the cardigan back up, running his finger across the new 'M' he stitched in a few days ago. He didn't_ try_ to be an ass or a dick to either of them, but he _had _been one. What got him so worked up? He buried his face into his hands, groaning. OK, he just needed to calm down before he went to go find them and make sure they were alright. Or maybe he needed to give them space... God damnit, he couldn't even think properly.

Michael was left debating with himself for maybe five minutes before the door burst open. Jake barged in, looking furious. He stormed over to the bed and grabbed Michael by the front of his shirt (one of the ones Jeremy bought for him), and yanked him up to eye level.

“You. What the hell did you do to him?” he demanded, seeming even more intimidating than Michael had ever seen him.

Oh god, he was too close. He was right in his face. Michael knew he wanted to be left alone and this wasn't helping. His heart race fastened as he managed to get out, "W-what?" So eloquent.

“What did you do to Jeremy?” Jake asked slowly, his deep voice sending bolts of fear straight through Michael. “He purposefully avoided me on my way up, and lost me when I tried to tail him. And he looked like he was _this_ close to breaking down. You’re the only one who has that much influence over him, so what the hell did you do?”

He did_ that_ to Jeremy? Oh god, oh no. Was he really _that _terrible to Jeremy? God, he sucked.

Michael tried to answer, but every time he did, his throat tightened up. His hands kept opening and closing by his sides as he tried to keep his breathing calm. "I- I'm- I-" He hiccuped as he tried to keep himself from shaking. "I-I snapped at him and I- and I didn't mean to. I was just- just so irritated and I dunno why, and I didn't mean to, I really didn't Jake. I didn't and I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." Michael_ tried_ to say something else other than shaky apologies, but nothing else came out as he sort of curled in as much as he could on himself instinctively, even if Jake still held him and his shirt up.

Jake frowned and let Michael down gently to sit on the bed. “Sorry, that was too far. I shouldn’t have been so rough.” He sighed heavily and turned away. “You’ve clearly got some issues going on right now, but I’d really recommend sorting them out ASAP. Jeremy’s still fragile from his time on Dolly. If he thinks you’re actually angry at him, he could do something stupid. Just... call him or find him or something. Just don’t leave him, or you _will_ find out why I was the second highest SQUIP,” he growled, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Michael just nodded, even after Jake was gone. He had to calm down, take a few deep breaths, and stop half-crying. It was hard, and Michael wished he knew why he was acting like this- not now. Right now, he had to find Jeremy.

Letting out a shaky exhale, Michael scrambled to get himself up. Thankfully he hadn't taken off his coat yet or dropped off his things. He just needed to go. Which he did by leaving his room and quickly going through the apartment. "I'm gonna go find Jer'my."

“Good luck,” Brooke called from the couch with very little enthusiasm. She must be upset too. “Give me a call if you need any help.” Michael nodded as he left.

Where would Jeremy be? Probably at his penthouse, he didn’t really go anywhere else. Unless he made a split second choice to go spend the night with his dad, but that wasn’t likely. Jeremy liked to hide when he was upset or hurting. He’d probably be at home.

Michael started in that direction.

As he walked to the penthouse, shuddering as he crossed over the bridge, he thought it might be good to give Jeremy a heads-up... Unless he would tell Ian to not let him in. But Ian would be able to tell Jeremy was upset. He'd let Michael up, right?

Before he could back-track out of his line of thought and completely shut down the idea, Michael pulled his phone out and quickly typed Jeremy a text that he'd be there shortly and that he was coming to apologize. That he didn't need to blame himself.

Michael stopped before he rambled a paragraph or two out to Jeremy. He quickly sent the text and shoved it into his pocket, burying his hands deep inside his jacket pockets (his hoodie was line-drying in his closet right now, but this soft jacket was helping ground him).

When he was just outside Jeremy’s building, he decided to check if Jeremy actually saw the text. He hadn’t responded, hadn’t even opened it. There was only the ‘delivered’ receipt, not ‘read.’ Oh... that couldn’t be good.

As he entered the building, Michael found that a good deal of his irritation and general foul mood had melted away. What had caused them, or what had triggered it in the first place, he had no clue. He was just tired now.

Ian was in the elevator, as always. “Afternoon, Michael. I take it you’re here to look after Jeremy?” he asked as they started up. “He didn’t look to be in a good way, I’m not sure how... stable you’ll find him. Press the panic button if things get out of hand, I’ll be there if you need me.”

"Thank you, Ian," Michael muttered out, reaching up and scrubbing his eyes quickly as he glanced up at the passing floor numbers. "Hopefully, I won't need to, but... yeah, thanks for letting me know." He gave the best smile he could to the man as they were almost at the penthouse.

“I don’t think you will either. But I want to make sure you remember about it, I’ll come help out for _any_ reason,” Ian offered gently. “You’re both good kids. And you look like you could use the assistance as much as he did when he came up.” The doors slid open. Michael stepped out. “I’ll be around. Stay safe, Michael.” The doors closed once more.

Letting out a sigh, Michael made his way over to the door. He took out his keycard Jeremy gave him (that he had made for him), sliding it and entering the code before coming in. Making sure the door was shut behind him, Michael walked in and looked around. Jeremy was likely to be in his room, closet, or bathroom. "Jeremy?" he called as he made his way to the slightly ajar door.

Jeremy’s phone was on his bed, flashing with the text Michael had sent. Okay, so Jeremy was around here somewhere. Michael looked around. The closet door was a little open, and the soft lights were on in there. Bingo.

Michael carefully made his way over, taking off his shoes near the doorway of the closet. Hey, he was planning on staying around as long as he could. He carefully knocked on the door to the rhythm of the Pac-Man theme. "Jeremy?"

No response, but Michael could hear the slightly heavy breathing of Jeremy working through a panic attack from inside, so he took that as an invitation. He didn’t spot Jeremy at first. He was tucked into the corner of the closet, near the wool coats and warm sweaters, arms wrapped around his knees as he stared blankly at a pair of snow boots. He was breathing a lot heavier than normal, almost rocking with how hard it was. His eyes were a little misty, but he didn’t show any signs of having been crying, thank god.

Making his way over, Michael squatted down right near Jeremy, though he didn't cut off his view of the snow boots. "Hey Remy," he softly said, watching Jeremy for his reaction, if any.

Jeremy flinched away, eyes growing wide as the locked up on to Michael. Instantly, Jeremy scrubbed at his face and schooled his features into a weak smile. It wasn’t convincing, and the panic was still clear in his eyes.

“H-hi Michael. Wh-What are you doing here?” He was curling in on himself slightly as he spoke, his voice hoarse and his entire posture was submissive again. Damnit, Michael thought Jeremy had gotten past that, this was worse than Jake had let on.

"I'm here to apologize," Michael told him, keeping himself calm for this. He couldn't let his worry mess this up. "Also to check up on you and stay with you if you're alright with that. I snapped at you 'cause I was irritated, and that wasn't alright. You didn't deserve it, and I was just an ass to you. It wasn't alright at all, I don't want to be excused of what I did wrong... But yeah. I love you, and you didn't deserve to be treated that way 'cause I got irritated for no reason."

Jeremy shivered a little, uncurling himself slightly. Good, that was progress. “So I didn’t do bad? You don’t-?” The words caught in his throat and he tried again. “You’re not mad at me?”

"No, I was never mad at you. You didn't do anything wrong," he promised Jeremy. "It was all me."

Jeremy’s eyes still had the slowly fading panic in them, but he relaxed a lot more physically. “I... okay.” He leant towards Michael a little, his posture becoming a lot more neutral. Certainly not submissive anymore. “Sorry for freaking out so badly,” he mumbled. “Are you okay? You don’t normally get worked up without a reason.”

"Jeremy, you don't need to apologize. You're fine now, and that's what matters," Michael said, finally settling himself to plop on his butt next to Jeremy. "I think I am now. I'm just tired... I dunno why I got so irritated and all that." He scrubbed at his eyes again, pushing his glasses to rest on top of his head.

Jeremy held his breath as he slowly leaned on Michael’s shoulder, then relaxed when nothing came of it. “Well, you said you went through the park? That’s the first time either of us have gone there since the attack. You probably were freaking out. Anxiety attack or something,” he offered slowly, his voice still scratchy and hoarse.

... Huh. "Yeah, that makes sense," Michael muttered out as he thought it over. "I haven't had one in-... wait... Wow, have all of those times been anxiety attacks and I've just chalked them up to bad moods? Wow."

Jeremy sniffled before nodding. “Your anxiety attacks have _always_ been you becoming irritable and snappy. Ever since you were little.” He wiggled a little closer to Michael, relaxing a bit more. “Did you really forget about that? We did loads of research into them when we were twelve.”

"I also have a shit memory. Did_ you_ forget about that?" Michael asked him back, laughing a little as he rested his head against Jeremy's shoulder. It was a bit awkward, but he didn't care. "Also, that was nine and a half years ago- holy shit... that was so long ago... Even if time is a man-made construct, holy _shit_."

“Yeah, we’re old now,” Jeremy agreed softly, the barest hint of a laugh in his voice. “At least I’m actually the right age now and not a year behind. And... at least we’re back together again. We kinda missed out on a lot together. I mean, you have three boyfriends before me. I’ve had... nothing, but still. Experience with other stuff.”

"I mean, we're not _old _but we're old_er_," Michael offered as he glanced up at Jeremy. "And the only good thing about my three boyfriends that I've had are the fact that Dustin Kropp taught me how to cook and to better myself as well as the fact that I know you're_ definitely_ the only one for me. Only three good things came out of those three boyfriends." He held up three fingers then to wave a little in Jeremy's face. "_Three_!"

Jeremy giggled softly, leaning his head against Michael’s. “Before I got my memories back, no one else felt right. I’ve had to have more one night stands than I’d like to admit, but none of them even interested me in the slightest. Until I encountered you by chance, and everything just... fit. Like my memories were bleeding through the suppression.” Jeremy hesitated, then pressed a gentle, fleeting kiss to the top of Michael’s head. “You’ve always been the only one for me.”

Oh god, Michael could just melt right then and there. "You have too," Michael told him, taking the hand that had been in Jeremy's face and poking him in the cheek. Well, he_ tried_ to, but he poked him near the ear instead. Whoops. "Sorry, that was meant to be cute but that was a weird mis-aimed poke."

Jeremy giggled and grabbed the hand, pressing a gentle kiss to his wrist. Tension Michael didn’t even realize was there bled out of Jeremy as he relaxed further.

“It was still cute. Mainly because it was you doing it,” Jeremy murmured almost sleepily. He sounded more content now, which was good. Any panic he had was now gone.

"Good to know," Michael said as he relaxed under the pressure of Jeremy's head against his, his hand holding onto Michael's. "Also, do you just... want to camp out here? Or in your room? I can try to build a blanket fort, though I can't promise it'll be good. I'm still tired from the anxiety attack, but I will build the bestest fort I can."

“Yes please.” Jeremy nodded, nuzzling against Michael’s head. “We can set it on the other side, since I have loads of space since I donated most of my suits.” He laced their fingers together, no hesitation in the movement this time. “And I’d better text Jake to let him know I’m okay. He tried following me when I... wasn’t in a good headspace. I lost him, but I think he might be worried.”

"I'll text him. He came by and let me know, sort of helped snap me out of my anxiety attack a little-" Even if it wasn't in the _best _way. "-so I should let him know. You just worry about being the handsome man that you are who is about to have an amazing blanket fort."

Michael could feel Jeremy’s cheeks heating up, and he whined and hid his face in Michael’s hair, giggling and whining a little. They’d get through this, it was just a road bump. And no one said recovery was easy, but Michael knew they were both going to work on it.

After a moment of indulging in flustered Jeremy, Michael stood up to get to work.

Michael hated waiting rooms. The anxiety of when they'd finally call you in, how long it would take to get called... it killed him. But Jeremy asked him to come support him for this week's session. He wasn't going to leave Jeremy out to dry, so to speak. Plus, he had nothing against therapy. He went before and it helped him get diagnosed with autism after he got adopted. Dr. Diaz was a sweet lady. He just didn't need it right now in his life.

Jeremy did though. He was doing this for him. So he was sitting with him in the stuffy office, fiddling with his phone in his pocket as he kept looking at the clock. The second hand was at the big six... now the big seven... the big eight... God, the waiting was killing him. Wasn't Jeremy supposed to start his session at half past four? It was now ten minutes after that. What were they-

The door opened. “Thanks again, Dr. Cole. See you next week.” Jake grinned, shaking Dr. Cole’s hand. She was a short, stout lady with a kind face. Everything about her just screamed the fact that she was trustworthy, and Michael knew that both Jake and Jeremy had done their research on her. And that they had been totally honest, in every sense. Even the magical sort.

“Of course, Jake. See you next week! Jeremy, I’m ready to see you now.” Dr. Cole smiled and beckoned them in. Jake offered them both a wave before heading off. Jeremy stood and held his hand out for Michael.

He took Jeremy's hand, standing up and letting his phone drop back in his pocket. The weight of it slightly tugging the right side of his jacket a little further than his left was what he focused on as he walked with Jeremy past the somewhat muted colors in the small hallway and into the office Dr. Cole had.

Jeremy instantly sat down on the plush couch, getting comfy, and tugging Michael to sit with him. “Is Michael still allowed to stay for this one, Dr. Cole?”

“Of course, dear. Whatever you need to feel the most comfortable, and the most safe. It’s nice to meet you properly, Michael. I’ve heard plenty of wonderful things about you.” She smiled, and Michael couldn’t help but relax a little. Dr. Cole gave of a vibe almost like a sweet grandma or something. You couldn’t help but feel safe around her.

"It's nice to properly meet you too, Dr. Cole. I've heard a lot of good things about you," he said in return, giving a polite yet comfortable smile as he got himself properly settled on the plush couch. Michael leaned back a bit, but stayed in as polite of a position as he could (this wasn't the apartment or the penthouse, after all).

Dr. Cole nodded and picked up her clipboard as she settled down in an armchair in front of the couch. “So, you said you wanted to talk about the violence you’ve experienced during your time as a SQUIP, and how that affects you?” she asked, looking up at Jeremy with concern.

Jeremy nodded. “It worries me because I’ve become completely desensitized to it. I just... don’t react to violence or death anymore. And I know that it’s not healthy or good in any way.”

Wait... Michael sunk a little further back into the plush couch then, still holding onto Jeremy's hand as he glanced away. Jeremy wasn't dumb. He wasn't too troubled by this, and he knew it was something he had to work on. It was also what everyone kept saying to Michael. If he said anything to Jeremy about him indirectly explaining Michael's issue, then this would all be focused on him. That sneaky-

“You’re right, that’s not a healthy way to experience either, but it’s almost to be expected with what you’ve gone through,” Dr. Cole said soothingly. “You were exposed to a lot of it for a very long time, and you practically grew up in a community where it was normalized. Add in the little magic artifact they’ve supposedly found and the machine you mentioned and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.” She didn’t sound disappointed. “I think the first thing you need to work on is maybe trying to provoke a response to any of it. Not a new, first hand experience, but reminding yourself of a time when you _did _feel something towards it and going from there.”

Alright, he was here for Jeremy, _not_ himself. Even if Jeremy might have done this intentionally, he was _not_ going to focus on himself. Maybe the wall was nice to look at. There were neat patterns painted, and there were even plush stuffed animals on a shelf. Cute. Way better than what Dr. Cole and Jeremy were discussing.

A gentle poke of his arm forced his attention back onto Jeremy. “Mikey, I’m struggling here. I...” He looked away from Dr. Cole and Michael at this point. “I can’t really remember a time when I _was_. I can’t think of any time when we were exposed to anything really bad, and my memories as a SQUIP never had any response.”

Michael had to rack his brain for a second, keeping away from thinking about this too much. "You told me about how, when you were four, your dad told you about how your Pappie passed away and how you guys had a funeral and everything with your Nannie," he offered, and it was really one of the only things he could think of. "You only told me about him a few years after we knew each other, but you got really sad bringing him up when you did."

“That’s right...” Jeremy muttered. “Nannie died a few years later and she was buried right next to him. I... I cried both times.” He sniffled a little. “I was so sad because it was an accident. He was healthy and fine and I had seen him a few days before it happened. He was trying to help some people who broke down and got hit by a car.” Another sniffle, and Jeremy’s shoulders hitched a little this time.

“This is good, Jeremy. I know it doesn't feel it right now, but it shows that you do still have that connection in you. You just need to complete it.”

Michael held on tight to Jeremy's hand, gently squeezing as he kept an eye on him. He wanted to be there and support him, but he couldn't think too hard on this. It wasn't like he had the issue here, this wasn't _his_ session, it was Jeremy's session and his issue and he was there as support. That was what Jeremy told him and he was going to support Jeremy.

Jeremy scrubbed at his cheeks with his free hand before his sobbing grew worse. “I _caused_ this feeling. In other people. Oh god, I- and they weren’t even _accidents_. I did them on purpose and I- I- I didn’t even think I just- oh_ god_.” There was horror in his voice now, Jeremy sounded horrified by his own actions. This was part of the healing process, but that didn’t make it any easier to watch.

He glanced at Dr. Cole for a second, but quickly looked back at Jeremy before she could make eye contact or notice his gaze. Michael just squeezed his hand, not sure if he should or could speak right now or not.

Jeremy shivered, his whole body reacting physically to his emotional distress, as he curled into himself a bit. “I killed _kids_. Other SQUIPs.” He sounded scared and horrified. “They were like me. They didn’t know any better and I just killed them because that’s what I was told I should do. Or because they- because they- because they got in the way of whatever I was doing.” His sobs had mostly stopped but his tears hadn’t. “They had families somewhere. And even if they were missing, I made sure they weren’t coming home...”

Michael scooted close them, staying next to Jeremy. He carefully wrapped his free arm around Jeremy once he knew in his mind that it was something Jeremy needed. Even if he sat a little awkwardly, with his arm almost squished between his side and the back of the couch cushion, he didn't care. Jeremy needed something right now, and he was going to give him that.

Jeremy half leaned against him and it wasn’t clear if he was even aware of what he was doing. He just seemed to be caught in his own head. “I didn’t even care who saw, who it affected, I just did it. So many people saw horrible things because I just didn’t care...”

Instead of only looking for a second, Michael looked over at Dr. Cole, keeping his gaze on her. He didn't want to interrupt what she thought was right, but if he was supposed to help, Michael wanted to know.

Dr. Cole wrote something on a post-it note and held it up for Michael to read. ‘_Be honest about what you saw._’

Well, if it was going to help... "You were like that. You had a completely different mindset and act for when you did that though. It was... a stark difference. You didn't get bothered by how you were affected by it, even when I asked you-" He tensed for a second but let it go. This wasn't about_ him_, it was about _Jeremy_. "-even when I asked you after the park. But you're able to see now that all of that was bad, which is good. Before, you didn't care about your views on it all."

“I did horrible things, even if it wasn’t me properly,” Jeremy protested quietly. “You saw what I did to those teenagers. Those fucking _teenagers_. There had to be another way.”

"Those teenagers were in that same mindset as you. Worse, in fact, because they purposefully came after you to kill you to rank up, and then they tried to come after me too," he told Jeremy. "They could have killed me. They _wanted_ to kill me. You thought on your feet and did what you thought was best. I... I don't know if there was another way in that split-second decision making."

“I didn’t just kill them,” Jeremy hissed, disgusted by himself from the sounds of things. “I _destroyed_ them. They were mangled messes by the time I was done with three of them. Only two got a clean death, and that’s only because I didn’t have time to really take it out on them. I didn’t _care_ and that fact isn’t going away anytime soon, even if... I’m really starting to care now.”

"You're at least recognizing that it was bad," Michael pointed out. "You can take steps to atone in whatever way you think is best as long as it's healthy and all that." He tried not to think back on how at least one of those deaths was_ definitely_ and almost directly caused by him.

Jeremy’s shakes slowed a little and started to become more manageable. “You’re... you’re right. I can’t change it, but I can make things better in different ways,” he mumbled slowly, latching onto that idea.

"Exactly. You can do things to help others so situations like yours don't happen again," Michael told him, gently squeezing his shoulder. "Whatever you can, even if it's just a little."

Jeremy curled himself closer to Michael. “I can help people.” He said it almost like a question, like he was asking himself if it was even possible. Then he nodded slowly, an answer. He was starting to believe it.

"Yes, you can," Michael reaffirmed, glancing over at Dr. Cole again to make sure he was Cole-approved.

She was nodding proudly. “That’s right, Jeremy. You’re actually seeing it for what it was, something out of your control at the time, and now you know it is something you can work to fix. Making the world a better place might help settle you as well, give you a purpose. You can’t undo the violence, but you can help to prevent it in the future.”

Hell yeah, Dr. Cole. He... really couldn't have said it better himself. Especially since he was still trying to not think about his own iss- nope, push those back. "Exactly." Great addition, Michael.

“And how do you feel about everything now?” she asked quietly. Jeremy squirmed and cuddled closer to Michael as he tried to find his voice.

“Really shitty. I... yeah it scares me again, like it used to. And I feel really guilty, both about what I’ve done and the fact I’ve exposed so many people to it. Especially Michael. He doesn’t deserve what he’s been through, or what he’s seen.”

Oh. Oh no. No, he wanted to push it _away _from himself, not have it pushed _onto_ him. "I mean, yeah, it sucks, but we're working through it and all that."

“Please, Mikey? Seeing you talk it out will help me. It’ll help me stop worrying.”

Even if he had Michael's best interest, Jeremy was cornering him. Even if it was to help himself out, Jeremy still knew this would end up happening. Him talking about his issues. Which he didn't want to talk about. This wasn't his time to talk, but Jeremy wanted him to... "I... Jeremy, I really don't want to," he barely whispered, not trusting his voice right then and there.

Jeremy nudged him again. “Why not? Can you tell me that at least? Please?”

"Jeremy, I came here to support you, not to have my own session," he told Jeremy, squirming a little under Jeremy's gaze.

“Okay,” Jeremy mumbled. “Will you though? Please? I-... I’m worried, Mikey. Ignoring it is how it got so bad for me...”

He didn't really have the money to pay for sessions (he knew these were relatively expensive, even with insurance that covered these one-hour sessions), and Michael wouldn't be able to do them alone. Only when he was a kid could Michael do these alone since there were a lot more games and activities involved, and that was to get him diagnosed and to help find out what things to do to cope. "I... Jeremy-"

“Please?”

Michael quickly leaned his head down, to whisper for Jeremy alone to hear, "I don't have the money, Jeremy. Even if my insurance covers this, it's still too expensive, even for a session every other week or even once a month."

“Then I’ll pay for it.” This was serious, Jeremy was terrified to use his immense wealth on Michael (or anyone) for fear it would be like buying them, something the SQUIPs had drilled into him that day on Dolly. If Jeremy was saying he’d pay, this wasn’t a joke to him.

Still, he squirmed a bit at the idea. "I-I can't do these sessions alone..."

“I’ll come. I’ll be there for every one,” he promised.

"But you're starting to look for a job now, Jeremy, and I have my classes and my job. What if they don't line up?"

“Jake, or Rich, or Brooke. Even Chloe or Derek or Jenna. Or, most likely, I’ll _make_ them line up. This is too important to me, _you’re_ too important to me.” Jeremy wasn’t playing fair.

Michael knew this, and Jeremy did too. Still, he had no excuse now. He didn't want to worry Jeremy. "I... alright, fine."

Jeremy practically melted with relief against him, sighing softly. “Thank you.”

After a tough day with classes and staying on campus to study and finish his homework, Michael was glad to come home to enjoy his three-day weekend. He worked his schedules out like that so he had no Friday classes! Plus, it meant he got to have more relaxation time and have his session with Jeremy every other week.

Michael unlocked the door, letting himself into his apartment and out of the bitter cold. It was starting to snow, so he was glad he beat the snowstorm coming. Damn February weather. "Hello, anyone home?" he asked, taking off his scarf to hang on the newly-purchased coat rack (it was Brooke's idea). "Or am I alone while everyone is out being productive members of society or enjoying their relationships at their partner's places? Except for Jeremy, 'cause that would be weird if he was doing the latter."

In an instant, a whirlwind whizzed through the apartment and stopped right in front of Michael. Remy took Michael’s hand and kissed it gently. “My love, you have returned! I’ve been waiting for you for-“ He pulled out a giant pocket watch. “A whole hour already.”

Oh. It wasn't good whenever Jeremy was Remy. He only ever became Remy when he had a _really_ bad day. "I'm sorry, I had to be productive so I could have a lazy weekend," he informed Remy. It was also not good to remind him that he only became Remy when he was bad, especially when he_ was_ Remy. He just needed to roll with this until Remy retired for a bit so he could talk this out with Jeremy. "I had some studying that kicked my butt and some hard homework to finish."

“No matter!” Remy scooped up Michael and dashed (literally) into their bedroom. Michael was gently set on the bed. “You’re home now, and the apartment is ours. Everyone else is out for the long weekend, so it’s just you and me, sugar.” Remy was on his knees in front of Michael, taking off his shoes and his socks, placing his feet into a foot bath which just happened to appear. “Which _means_ you get the pampering of your life.”

“You don’t have to do that, Remy,” Michael assured him, even as his feet settled into the water and sent a chill down his spine for a second. “Just being with you is pampering in of itself. Did that make sense? I feel like it barely made sense.”

“You sure, honey?” Remy was up on the bed next to him now, looking up at him with a small, bashful smile. “You really think so highly of me?” He fluttered his eyelashes, blush dots forming on his cheeks for a moment.

“Of_ course_ I think so highly of you. I love you,” he told his boyfriend, smiling down at him with what was hopefully warmth. “The thought of coming home to you was what got me through today.”

“Awww. I love you too,” Remy cooed, glancing down to see a Cupid’s arrow sticking out his chest. He grinned sheepishly and tucked it away. “But truly, I want to spoil you a little, my love. _And_ I’ve been good and set a timer, see?” Remy pulled out the pocket watch, which actually had a digital face. It was counting down from three hours. “Like I promised you, my sweet.”

OK, good. He kept their promise from their last Remy talk. “Alright, you’re keeping your promise. I’ll let you do what you planned to do,” Michael told him, kissing Remy’s forehead before smiling. “But first, tell me your plans, yeah?”

“Well I was thinking some dancing? And then maybe a massage? But I’m up for _anything _you want, my dear.” Kisses were trailed up Michael’s arm, and the hearts flying around Remy’s head kept colliding with each other, merging and getting bigger. The heart was full sized when Remy kissed his cheek, and it popped against Michael’s nose like a bubble, making him feel a little giggly and giddy.

Michael couldn’t help but laugh a little as he leaned into Remy’s kiss then, turning and grinning at his boyfriend before quickly catching his lips in a kiss. “Well, I’m up for whatever _you_ want. As long as I’m with you and we’re both happy, that’s all that matters to me!” Hey, Michael could enjoy this! He was feeling great and really happy and really giggly, plus Remy had his timer. Jeremy promised not to go past it last time Michael talked with him about it.

“Aww, you’re so sweet,” Remy cooed, melting a little against Michael before catching himself and shaking himself back to normal shape. “In that case, you up to boogie, honey?” Remy stood and spun Michael, changing his clothes to something more appropriate to dance in: a soft, red button up and some black jeans. Remy was in a similar outfit, but it was blue with white jeans. “Oh yes, red is very much your color. And green.” Michael’s shirt changed to his favorite shade of green. “Which would you prefer?”

Michael looked down at himself and happily hummed. “I think I look stunning in either, so it’s up to you to choose, Remy,” he told his boyfriend as he appreciated the comfortable clothing he was changed into.

The shirt flowed back to red. “Red goes well with blue, don’t you think?” he asked as some music began playing. Remy coaxed Michael into a dance, spinning him around and leading him in a slightly saucy tango. Remy didn’t make a move on Michael, like Karl might have done to Jeremy, but the invitation and intention was there. Remy tended to prefer it if Michael started things, so he knew for certain that Michael was comfortable. He was sweet like that.

By the time they finished their first dance, Remy in the dip, Michael bent down and gave him a lingering kiss. Not too long, but just enough to let Remy know that he was comfortable and interested as well. “You’re a talented dancer,” Michael told him once he pulled his lips away. “Are you going to sweep me off my feet tonight?”

It took Remy a second to answer; he looked a little dizzy from the kiss and the heart eyes he had (literally) weren’t helping his case for not being love drunk already. “That’s the plan.” He giggled, righting himself and lifting Michael up so he wrapped his legs around Remy waist. He knew, both as Remy and as Jeremy, that Michael loved being carried. “I’m going to spoil the hell out of you. Now. Would you like to keep dancing or would you like a massage?”

“Mm... if we dance too much, we’re gonna get all gross and icky. A massage would be nice,” he told Remy, resting his head onto his shoulder. “Also, could you change into your comfy outfit please while we do this?”

Remy twirled in place, and then he was back in that soft, weird, very Remy outfit from their first meeting, cardigan and all. And Michael knew if he looked, the real cardigan would be missing. “Let’s go work some magic on you.”

“Oooh, yes please,” Michael almost giggled out as Remy walked them back into their room (he just came to accept that Remy somehow transported them to dance in the middle of their living room). He let himself be placed down on their bed, in his comfiest pair of pajama bottoms as he felt the mattress shift under his weight. Somehow, even if he had no shirt on, he felt no chill. “Tell me what you need me to do.”

“_You_ just need to lie down on your front on the soft towels. I’ll do the rest.” Remy ‘boop’ed his nose, then kissed there. Michael couldn’t help but giggle properly now. Remy was being a sweetheart. “Orange blossom is okay for a scent, yeah?”

“Yeah, it’s more than OK,” Michael told him, grinning up at Remy before turning around and lying across the soft towels now there. He got comfortable lying on his front, taking his glasses off and putting them to the side, before humming happily. “I love you.”

Remy peppered kissed all along Michael’s spine, from his neck to his lower back, before climbing on to sit just over Michael’s legs. “I love you too.”

The next touch was warm and gentle, and the soft scent of orange blossom started drifting around their room. Remy’s touch was firm but sweet, warming the muscles before actually getting to work and digging in, releasing any tension. He was always sure to soothe the area after.

Even if it hurt a little, Michael just melted. After all, it meant that Remy was working and that he would feel loads better after the soreness faded away. He didn’t even realize how bad his back got with tons of knots all over. “Mm... It feels s’good, Remy,” Michael almost groaned out as he shut his eyes, letting himself (not literally) become putty under Remy’s skilled fingers. “It hurts so good...”

“It’ll feel even sweeter later,” Remy promised softly. That was the biggest contrast between Remy and Karl: Remy knew how to be soft, he didn’t need to be lead to it like Karl did. Michael briefly wondered if it had something to do with Jeremy’s feelings towards him before the releasing of another knot chased it away. He could do thinking later, for now he could just enjoy this attention. “I’m almost done up here, then I’m gonna just help you relax, okay?”

“Mm, yeah, sounds good,” Michael muttered out, fully resting his head against the bedding underneath him. “Whatever y’want t’do, Remy, just do it. Not like Shia LaBouf, but... yeah.” He just said whatever, he had no filter, but Remy would understand him regardless, even if he was a blobby mess of words and things.

Remy pressed a kiss to Michael’s cheek with a small chuckle and he finished up the deep massage. Then he moved to just working the muscles gently, helping them relax properly now that all the tension had been removed.

Michael just gasped and groaned as the massage went from deep to tender before completely melting against the sheets and towels. He just smiled now, sure it was content and maybe a little dazed. Whatever, he felt so good and Remy was helping him feel like this. He felt too relaxed to even make words, so he just hummed happily instead.

After a while longer, Remy hands pulled back and he began wiping off Michael’s back with a very soft cloth. It was almost as relaxing as the massage itself. When he was done, Michael felt the towel vanish beneath him and the softest sheets he’s ever felt now in its place. Then Remy flopped next to Michael, nuzzling his cheek gently against Michael’s. “How do you feel, sugar?”

“I don’t know how to feel. I’m too blissed out to comprehend feeling,” Michael managed to get out, finally opening his eyes and looking over at Remy. “Why’re you treating me so sweetly?” He knew the answer, but it just sort of came out, like it always did when he was so blissed out.

“Because I love you and you deserve to be spoiled,” Remy murmured, running his fingers through Michael’s hair. “Because you’re mine and I’m yours and I want you to know just how much I care.”

“I know how much y’care, Remy,” Michael told him as he leaned into Remy’s touch. “Y’care so much, and I care for you s’much. I just... I love you so much.”

“I know, honey.” Remy sighed. “When I’m like this, I know there’s no chance that you_ can’t _know. When I’m Jeremy... I’m... I get nervous. That you don’t know, because things get in the way. Thoughts and stuff,” he admitted. “I _am_ a rather nervous person normally, after all.”

“You are, but that doesn’t mean I love you any less,” Michael told him with a soft hum. “I love you always. Even when you’re nervous or anxious, I always love you. Nothing can or will stop me from loving you.”

Remy sighed again. “I don’t doubt it. I’m doing better with that.” A kiss to Michael’s forehead. “I love you. And... I think it’s time for me to be me again...”

“As much as I love Remy, we do have an agreement. I’m glad you’re sticking to it.” He shifted how he was lying so he could make at least a singular grabby hand at Remy. “I wanna be cuddled by Jeremy for a little bit while I’m all blissed out. I love you.”

“I love you too. I’m just gonna put this away properly.” Remy gave Michael's hand a squeeze before slipping off the bed and pulling the mask off.

As always, there was a small rush of energy. Then there was the sound of the box being opened, then locked, and Jeremy slid back onto the bed. He seemed to be in his comfy clothes, so he at least got changed after work before putting the mask on. “Hey.”

Michael smiled at Jeremy as he rested an arm over his waist. “Hi. How are you feeling?”

“Really tired, maybe a little more than normal,” he admitted after a moment. “I didn’t really go into that in a good state.”

“Can you tell me why you turned into Remy?” he asked as he carefully ran his hand up and down Jeremy’s covered side.

Jeremy relaxed under his hand a little, even if his expression got tighter. “A SQUIP turned up at the shelter today,” he muttered. “One of the nice ones. She was looking to get a dog to be her service animal. And seeing her, and just... helping her, it made me think of that time again. Especially since she accidentally called me six-hundred. I just... couldn’t deal. So Remy did for me.”

"Well, at least I don't have to go and beat anyone up. I would've happily done it this weekend, but you said it's gonna be an 'us' weekend since everyone else is gone." Michael pressed a gentle kiss to Jeremy's forehead. "It's alright to think back to the painful times, even if it's painful, because you're past it."

“Yeah.” Jeremy sighed, wiggling closer to Michael. “It’s just hard sometimes.” He pressed a quick kiss to Michael’s cheek. “I love you. I love you so damn much and it’s amazing and scary and just awesome. I’m so happy to have you in my life, Michael.”

"I love you and I'm lucky that you're in my life too, Jeremy." Michael tugged Jeremy a little closer. "Like I said earlier when it was Remy out, you helped me get through a rough school day today. And I have no work this weekend, and probably wouldn't have had any anyway. It's supposed to snow bad tonight and tomorrow and the Rink wouldn't want to risk anything."

“It’s nice to have the place to ourselves but not have to hide,” Jeremy murmured, more tension leaving him as he got settled.

"Yeah, definitely," Michael agreed as he scooted himself closer to bury his face against Jeremy's shoulder. "Did we stock up on good stuff to reheat, make, and all that for food? 'Cause I don't feel like going out or having anyone deliver."

“I sorted everything yesterday. Or... I asked Rich to get stuff and then checked that he did.” Michael knew Jeremy had a lot of problems letting anyone else have control, and not being on top of everything, so him asking Rich to buy things was a big deal.

"That's good," Michael muttered out as he gave Jeremy a kiss on the cheek. "Very good. Now, we can have a relaxing, chill weekend of snuggling, napping, kissing, and video games."

“And you get to start it super relaxed,” Jeremy cooed.

"Mhmm, I do," he agreed as he pressed another kiss to Jeremy's cheek. "Thank you for that."

“You’re welcome, hun.” A pause. “Can we take a nap before eating? I’m exhausted.”

"Of course. I wanna nap too after all that. I might be a bit sore when I wake up though, so y'might have to bring me the food," Michael muttered out as he felt the sleepy ease begin to wash over him.

“Sure thing. And I’ll give you a rub down in the shower to help after too,” Jeremy mumbled, just as sleepily. Before either of them could really say anything else, they were both out like a light.

Mr. Heere had some really nice fiancés named Penelope and Haden. Yes, plural. He met this lovely couple and was in a nice relationship with him, and he was engaged to them both. He really deserved it, and they didn't all have to throw a pool party for Michael, his moms, and Jeremy, but they did. They also invited Brooke and Rich, and in turn Christine and Jake.

Penelope and Haden had a nice house near the outskirts of the opposite side of the city. It had a huge pool in their big backyard that even had a jacuzzi! It was honestly insane and perfect to beat the heat wave that hit them in mid May. It was also a great way to celebrate the end of finals week.

Michael arrived a bit earlier with Brooke to help set things up with Mr. Heere. Christine was supposed to come with Jeremy, as they were actually getting along pretty well, and she was helping him discover musical theater. Well, rediscover some newer as well as some older musicals. Jeremy really liked Little Shop of Horrors. He had seen Jeremy about twenty minutes ago, when he arrived with Christine, but he hadn't seen him since.

With that came worry from Mr. Heere, who came up to him with panic, as the official 'pool party time' started half an hour ago and he apparently hadn't seen Jeremy come with Christine.

Michael found Mr. Heere pacing by the back gate where Jeremy had come in. “Michael, have you seen him? I haven’t seen him or Christine.” Christine was having some quiet time with Brooke in the house before the party really got into full swing. “What if something happened? I’d... I’d better call him.” He was already pulling out his phone.

“No, no, I saw him and Christine come in maybe twenty minutes ago,” he told Mr. Heere, watching the older man halt. “He’s probably just somewhere in the house. I can go find him for you, you don’t need to worry, I promise.”

Mr. Heere relaxed immensely at that, and he put his phone back. “Okay. Thanks, Michael. Lemme know when you find him, and find out why he’s taken so long? If he needs me, I’ll be right there.”

“Of course, Mr. Heere.” Michael gave him a reassuring smile before he went into the, to be honest, massive house. There were three stories and a god damn basement. He had even counted that there were seven different bedrooms, but he knew exactly where Jeremy would be.

Michael knocked on the door to Jeremy’s room. Penelope and Haden both adored Jeremy, and when Mr. Heere moved in with them, they were more than happy to set up a room for him. It was modeled and decorated exactly like his old room, down to the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. Michael knew that if Jeremy was hiding, that’s where he would be.

“Hello?” Jeremy’s voice sounded a little hoarse but if he was responding then it couldn’t be too bad of an issue. They could totally tackle it if Jeremy was still coherent.

"Hey, it's just me," Michael told him, looking at the tacky 'Jeremy' name plate on the door that just screamed homemade (Jeremy, from what he told Michael, did make that recently for this door). "Can I come in?"

“If it’s _just _you. I... no one else please.”

"It's _just _me, I promise." With that, Michael opened the door and quickly walked in, shutting the door behind himself.

Jeremy was sitting on his bed, knees up by his chest and his whole body wrapped in his big, fluffy towel. The clothes he arrived in were folded neatly next to him, so he was probably in his swimming trunks.

“Hey, Mikey.” Jeremy sounded really tired, as if he were already emotionally drained.

"Hey, Remy," Michael said in return, sitting down next to him on his bed. "What's up?"

“Noth-“ He sighed heavily. When he actually spoke, his voice was quiet. “I didn’t want to gross everyone out. Especially my dad.”

"What? Why would you gross everyone out?" Michael asked, looking at Jeremy.

Jeremy curled in on himself further. “I’m covered in scars. Some... worse than others.” Michael could see one of Jeremy’s legs twitch.

_Oh_. "Yes, they're bad reminders, but they're fading. The one on your leg is finally properly healed up and is slowly starting to fade too," Michael pointed out. "Look, no one will be grossed out. They'll be surprised for a second if anything and get used to it. Your scars don't define you."

Jeremy shifted the towel slightly to expose his shoulder. “Shot.” He pointed to a scar that cut across the top of his shoulder. “Stabbed.” This one was in his upper arm and Michael could clearly see where the knife went in... and stuck out on the other side. Jeremy shifted and exposed his side a bit. “Burned.” This one was a deep burn that left the skin puckered and angry even now. Michael knew it was a few years old. “When dad sees them, he’ll _know_. He’ll recognize exactly what each of them are and he’ll know what I’ve been through. He’s been hurt enough with losing me and hearing briefly what my life was like, I don’t want to upset him more. He doesn’t deserve that.” Jeremy pulled the towel back up around himself.

"He needs to know what happened to you, though, even if it hurts._ He_ needs to heal too," Michael told Jeremy, keeping his hands and all that to himself as he looked at the other. "Even if he doesn't deserve to hurt, he deserves to know what happened, just like I deserved to know."

“Michael, he freaks out if I don’t text him everyday. Hell, he was probably panicking when I didn’t come down in time for the start of the party. How am I supposed to show him…_ this_? Especially my leg. He doesn’t know about the fact I was... punished for our relationship.” Jeremy sighed. “I might just go home and let everyone enjoy this. I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

"What? Jeremy, no, you deserve to enjoy this as much as everyone else," Michael told him, shifting on the bed to face Jeremy. "You two need to be able to face this. He thought his son was gone for five years and he finally got him back. He's going to be a bit worried. Even if it doesn't seem like it in the long run, it's going to help both of you by showing each other all this." He paused for a second. "How did you feel before showing_ me_ your scars?"

“I was scared,” Jeremy admitted softly after a moment. “I was scared you’d be disgusted. I knew you liked me for who I was, but... I’ve rarely had any positive response to them. Sort of sets up expectations, y’know?”

"And I wasn't like that, right?" Jeremy nodded. "And your dad got shot too, remember? He showed me it the day I got released from the hospital properly so that I knew I had someone to talk to about it. He's not going to be disgusted, Jeremy. Will he be upset? Maybe, but only because he'll be sad that you went through this, but he'll also be glad you don't have to go through that anymore."

The towel was held less tightly around Jeremy now. “And the... slur?”

"It's something he should know about. It's not like he'll judge you for it or anything. He'll just be sympathetic," Michael told him. "Remember when he said he made a bet with my moms about when we'd get together... along with the fact he's engaged to Penelope and Haden?"

Jeremy’s shoulders sagged. “Can you get him, please? I don’t want to talk to him about this in public. And... can you stay? Just... for moral support.” He let a small, half chuckle. “I don’t think I can do this alone.”

"Yeah, of course," he assured Jeremy as he stood up then. "Do you need me to get you anything else while I go get him?"

“Just... warn him? I... I want him to be excepting something like this when he comes so he’s not totally shocked.”

"Can do, chief." He gave Jeremy as reassuring of a smile as he could. "No drinks though? Or snacks before everyone devours them?"

“If you see something you think I’ll like.” Jeremy actually chucked that time. “But I know Penelope has put aside some pomegranate juice for me if we run out of other drinks.”

"Aww, she's sweet. Alright then, I'll be back in a few." With that, he left in search of Mr. Heere.

Mr. Heere had left the gate, but he still looked a little anxious where he was standing under one of the sun umbrellas. He was picking his towel to bits. When he spotted Michael, he instantly relaxed again. “I take it you found him?” he asked.

"Yeah, we did," Michael echoed as he rested his hands on his hips. "He wants to talk to you for a sec in private. I'll take you to him, yeah?"

“Sure, is he okay?” Mr. Heere followed after Michael into the house. “He’s not hurt or upset or anything, is he?”

"He's just... he's scared of showing off his scars and all that he's gotten from his years as a SQUIP. Especially to you. He doesn't wanna worry you any more since he knows you worry so much already," Michael explained. "Like... they're gnarly, and not in a good way. But they're healing!"

That seemed to calm Mr. Heere further. “I’m no stranger to scars. I’ve got some intense ones myself, and my buddies have even more. I know how sensitive it can be to show them off, especially for the first time. And the fact that his biggest worry is upsetting me... he’s always been a sweet kid underneath his surly exterior.” He chuckled. “I think I’ve got some idea of want to expect. Do... do you have a count? So I know what to expect.”

Michael grimaced as they started to walk up one of the nicer staircases. "Last I counted, he had two-hundred and two, not including the, uh... slur carved into his thigh that's finally starting to scar up."

“He’s got a slur carved into his leg? How?”

"SQUIPs didn't like our relationship. That was a reminder of how they didn't like it. They threatened him to kill me or break me... Bad memories are tied to it."

“My poor boys...” Mr. Heere muttered, running a hand through his hair. “You’re both so strong, you realize that?” They stopped outside Jeremy’s room. Mr. Heere hesitated, then knocked.

“Dad? S’at you?”

“Yeah, it’s me private. Can I come in? Michael says you have something to show me.”

“... Yeah, come on in.”

Mr. Heere walked in first, and Michael quickly followed in after. He shut the door behind him before quickly seating himself at Jeremy's desk. On the quick trip over to the chair, he saw Jeremy still had his towel wrapped around himself. "I'm just a spectator and moral support here, don't mind me."

“I’m guessing Michael told you about why I didn’t come down?” Jeremy sighed as Mr. Heere sat down next to him.

“You’re worried about my reaction to your scars.” Jeremy nodded, his head down, almost in shame. “Well you don’t have to. I’ve seen some terrible ones, and even if you have more than I’ve seen on one person, they’re just proof. Proof that you’ve been through hell and come out the other side still such a strong and amazing person.” Jeremy was looking up at his dad now, something akin to wonder in his eyes.

“You... that’s really how you see them?” he asked softly. The towel slipped a little, exposing his shoulders. His legs slipped out from in the towel too, hanging over the bed. His thigh was still covered.

"Of course it is. It doesn't change the fact that you're an amazing person and that I'm lucky to have you as my son," Mr. Heere told him. "Nothing will change that fact in my mind." Michael watched as Mr. Heere scooted to sit a little closer to Jeremy. "I've shown you my old war scars, right?"

Jeremy nodded mutely and slowly reached out of the towel to touch the scar on display on Mr. Heere’s shoulder. The bullet wound, where he was shot so badly he had to be sent home. It still gave him some issues even now.

Jeremy lowered the towel more to show a similar wound on his side, near his stomach. A few inches over and it would have hit something vital. The other small cuts, burns, and scrapes, all long healed and fading slowly, decorated Jeremy’s skin like embroidery; they raised areas and made them stand out or caused dips and valleys in the skin. Michael knew each and every one of them by touch, and he was learning the stories behind them too.

Mr. Heere's eyes looked over all of the exposed area of his son's body, but nothing changed in his eyes. Nothing changed about how he viewed Jeremy. "You are the bravest person I've ever met, Jeremy."

Jeremy whined softly before he launched himself at his dad to hug him. Mr. Heere held him close, shushing him gently as they rocked side to side slowly. “I love you, dad,” Jeremy half sobbed.

"I love you too, son, so damn much," Mr. Heere told Jeremy, cradling him close as he let Jeremy cry.

After a while of hugging, Jeremy finally calmed down and let his dad go. He shuffled the towel again to make sure his leg was covered, before sighing and looking up at Mr. Heere. “I have one more. It’s... it’s pretty horrible, I won’t lie. Its a slur for gay people, and it was... I think it almost hurt more than some of the bullet wounds. It’s only just properly scarred up, and it’ll take a lot longer to fade.” He sounded tired again, but not in general anymore. More like this scar was draining him. “It’s also one of the only ones I’m almost proud of. Since I got it because I love Michael, and even though it hurt like hell, I sat through it without flinching because I couldn’t let them hurt him. I hate the word, but I’m proud of myself for enduring it to protect him, if that makes sense.” That... was something Michael didn’t know. He didn’t know the details of how Jeremy got that particular one, just that it was part of his ‘punishment.’

Jeremy shifted the towel totally off him and onto the bed.

Mr. Heere, again, looked at the scar. "It's definitely healing up properly. No infections or anything," he said, looking over the scars without touching or even moving his hand to get near Jeremy's skin. "That... Like I said, you're the bravest person I've ever met. I'm so lucky to be your father, Jeremy."

Jeremy ducked his head and his cheeks got a little color. “Thanks dad. Can... can you give everyone a heads up for me? I don't want to freak them out. And can you please ask Penelope and Haden not to fuss? I’ll get embarrassed. I just... I need a minute to prepare myself, y’know?”

"Of course, private." Mr. Heere gave him a quick hug before getting up. He looked over at Michael, going over and giving him a hug too. Even if he was surprised by it, Michael returned it before Mr. Heere let go and walked to the door. "I'll leave you two be while you get ready for the pool party and while I give everyone a heads up." With that, he left and shut the door after him.

Jeremy slumped forwards once his dad was gone, relaxing and letting out a small huff of relief. “That... wasn’t as bad as I thought. It... it was actually good,” he muttered.

Michael got up from his place at Jeremy's desk and returned to his bed to sit down next to him. "I mean... I don't want to say 'I told you so,' but..."

“Yes you do, you _always_ do. Because you’re always right about this stuff.” Jeremy huffed out a laugh, leaning against him.

"Hey,_ you_ said that, not me," Michael defended before wrapping his arms around his best friend.

“I love you.”

"I love you too, you sappy nerd."

Karl was having a _blast_ doing up the apartment. Everything was worn or old or second hand, so he decided to do the nice thing and fix it up while he waited. Jeremy was supposed to be home soon, which meant it was_ almost_ time to pamper him. Until then, Karl just had to do _something_. And that something was redecorating (to what he knew Brooke and Rich would like as well, duh, he wasn’t stupid). He just couldn’t deal with living in a place with such old furniture.

Karl had just finished spinning the patterns onto the loveseat when he finally heard what he had been waiting for. “Karl? What are you doing out? I thought we agreed no mask today.” Okay, maybe that wasn’t_ quite_ what he was waiting for, but the owner of the voice certainly was!

Around Karl turned, spinning on his heel (the rest of his body quickly turned and caught up with him) as he beamed over at Jeremy, still in his kennel tee and jeans. "My love, I just _had_ to, I'm sorry," he apologized before going over to Jeremy, scooping his cheeks up in his hands. "I wanted to do the place up a bit for everyone and you deserve some pampering. You've had such a stressful week, you _deserve_ it."

Jeremy looked up at Karl,_ something_ bubbling behind his eyes, before he smiled and sighed, relaxing into the touch. “Alright. But only for a few hours, I don’t want you to exhaust yourself so we can’t enjoy the rest of our weekend, okay?”

Victory! Karl grinned as he nodded, pressing a kiss to Jeremy's forehead. "Perfect. _Now_, since this apartment will be turning into your de-stress spa temporarily, you must let me know what you want me to do first. Before that though-" He quickly spun Jeremy, leaving him in a robe and his boxers, as well as some gym shorts so he could choose his level of comfort to strip. "There we go."

Jeremy blinked owlishly and looked down at his outfit change before smiling up at him softly. “Thanks, hun. And you choose how to help me de-stress, I trust your judgement to decide how best to help me.”

"Well, I want you to choose. We have many options here, like a paraffin wax treatment, a hot stone massage, aromatherapy, and scent-infused oils with a deep tissue massage," Karl listed as he started to walk into the bathroom, which he temporarily shifted into a small spa space that would let him do whatever to help Jeremy. He deserved it after a stressful week, working five days straight and only just getting the weekend to relax!

Jeremy thought as he followed after Karl, he could see the wheels in Jeremy’s head turning! “How about some aromatherapy after the deep tissue massage? I _am_ feeling a little stiff after sparing with Jake last night.” He stretched out his back a little as if to prove it.

"Alright, sounds good. What do you want me to do after that? The spa here can and will do anything and everything for you," Karl informed him as he quickly got the massage table ready. "Also, you dress down to your level of comfort, hun."

Jeremy pulled off the robe and the gym shorts, leaving him in just his boxer briefs. Karl couldn’t help but take a moment to admire just how toned Jeremy was. He was still keeping up his training regime and he sparred regularly with Jake (and was teaching Michael some self defense too), so he hadn’t lost an ounce of muscle since he began living a normal life again.

“Let’s play it by ear. I’ll probably just want to cuddle with you after that. I’ve been looking forward to some quality snuggle time after all.” Jeremy giggled.

"Alright, sounds good. Whatever will please thee," Karl said, mock bowing before patting the table. "Now, I just need you to hop your cute, tight tush up here and lie face-down, please."

Jeremy giggled and blushed softly as he did so, settling himself down quite easily. Obviously it wasn’t his first massage. Well, it would be the first one by Karl (or Michael)!

Karl grabbed the oils he'd need for this from his side, carefully getting the oil across the expanse of Jeremy's _gorgeous_ back. "Do you want royalty free background spa music or to hear me blabber?"

Jeremy hummed appreciatively. “Talk to me? Tell me something, anything. About your day or something totally random.” He already sounded more relaxed.

“Alright then.” Karl started talking about his (he and Michael were one and the same, he knew that by this point) day of running errands for the apartment, cleaning his room, and then redecorating once he actually _became_ Karl to do something productive while waiting for Jeremy. “I didn’t want to break the productivity flow, y’know?” he said as he dug a knot out of Jeremy’s shoulder.

Jeremy let out a low groan as the knot released itself under Karl’s ministrations. “I- _ahhhh_\- I understand that. You had a rhythm going. _Mmm_.” The noises he was making were positively sinful. It took everything Karl had not to just lean over him and kiss him senseless. As it was, he was having to bite back the kiss lips threatening to come out. And hide the hearts almost pouring out his pockets. He didn’t want to charm Jeremy, not currently anyways. He know Jeremy truly loved him, no extra magic required.

Charming was for kissy time, not relaxation time.

“Exactly. And I wanted to give everyone a surprise, not just you,” Karl agreed as he carefully rubbed the area of the former knot, relaxing the skin. “I wanted the productivity to keep going and be positive for everyone.” Karl was also learning that he couldn’t just think only of Jeremy. Gestures mattered.

“That’s so swe- _ahhh_\- sweet of you, hun.” Jeremy praised between groans as Karl found yet another knot to work on. The cherry blossom scented oil was really doing wonders, along with Karl’s skilled hands (he may have made sure to level up this area and complete the skill tree beforehand). “_Oh god, that feels so good_.”

“I’m glad,” Karl cooed out, leaning down to press a quick kiss to the nape of Jeremy’s neck before digging hard and getting the knot out.

That drawn-out groan was so _unfair_. Still, this was about Jeremy, not Karl. So he worked hard to rub out the area, continuing to talk now about classes he applied for and how he would need to order one or two textbooks soon.

Jeremy let out a small, high pitched whine that Karl knew was from when he was feeling overwhelmed with good feelings. It quickly dropped down to almost a moan as he worked through next knot. It took a moment for Jeremy to remember how to speak. “If you need any help with getting them, let me know, yeah? I might as well _use_ some of the money I’ve got.”

“I have some money too now, you know,” Karl gently reminded him as he dug his thumbs into the center and pushed the knot out in small segments. “I want to try to put that to either student loans and school supplies or a house. Maybe some repairs to the Cruiser after graduating.”

Jeremy’s next words were a little husky as he worked through the endorphins being released from the massage. “You’re doing so well, love.” A soft, relaxed sigh. “You’ve worked so hard and it’s really showing. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you, my darling,” Karl hummed out as he broke off the last bit of the knot, getting it all out before soothingly rubbing out the area. “I’m not sure if you’re referring to my masseuse work or my scholarly work now, but either way, any praise to inflate my ego is welcome.”

“B-both work.” Another small whimper as Jeremy fell totally limp. That seemed to be all of the knots. “Karl, can we skip aromatherapy and just go straight to cuddles once you’re done there? Please?” His voice was starting to slur with how relaxed and happy he was. Karl felt really proud of managing that. It was rare to see or hear Jeremy so relaxed.

“How about I plug in something so we can have aromatherapy _and_ cuddles?” Karl offered as he properly massaged Jeremy’s back, rubbing the last of the oil around.

“Yes, whatever you like. I just really need cuddles right now. And kisses. I just feel so _good_,” Jeremy practically purred. It was exceedingly unusual to see Jeremy get this needy. Remy did for sure, he was almost desperate for Michael’s love and attention, but it was rare for Jeremy to ever get to that state. Karl must be doing a _really_ great job.

“And the smells with the cuddles will help,” Karl almost sung out as he finished, wiping his hands off with a hand towel before carefully patting Jeremy’s back dry. He helped Jeremy to sit up then, looking over his comfortable pajamas that he now wore. “Do you want me to carry you like the precious prince you are?”

Jeremy almost pouted, his eyes hazy and adorable. And there was nothing stopping Karl from stealing a kiss now, so he did. Jeremy returned it eagerly with the same intensity. “Please carry me? I don’t think I can move too well right now.”

“Yeah, you’re too blissed out to move right now,” Karl cooed out, pressing a few kisses to his face as he carried him, bridal style. “Alright, what kind of smells are you in the mood for, my dear?”

“Something to boost these nice feelings even more. And to relax my muscles.” Jeremy was peppering slow, sensual kisses to Karl’s neck. “So maybe a blend?” Jasmine and orange it was. After all, aromatherapy was about using the smells to create certain effects. And Karl knew this blend would work perfectly for what Jeremy wanted.

“Of course, my love.” Karl pressed a kiss against his temple, letting the spa room fade away and then back into the bathroom it originally was. He walked into their bedroom, gently setting Jeremy down in bed and under their covers. Karl reached over to their bedside table, turning on the diffuser and letting the blend start to slowly fill through the air.

Jeremy weakly made grabby hands in Karl’s direction, humming contentedly when Karl finally did slide under the covers. He cuddled himself as close to Karl as possible, looking up at him with a dazed, happy gaze. “I love you,” he hummed.

“I love you too, Jeremy,” Karl told his boyfriend, smiling down at him. He kissed his forehead before getting settled completely in bed with Jeremy, finding the perfect cuddling position with him.

Jeremy began pressing lazy kisses to Karl’s neck, occasionally stopping to lightly nibble where he knew was a sensitive spot. Jeremy had long since memorized all of the best, most sensitive places on Michael’s, and as such Karl’s, neck and body and it seemed he was using every trick he knew. Which was a hell of a lot.

"Mm, that's so nice, Jeremy," Karl gasped out with one harder nibble, reaching an arm up and under the back of Jeremy's shirt to rub up and down his spine. "Thank you."

Jeremy didn’t respond beyond a small hum, too focused on his mission. And, slowly but surely, Karl began to melt under his ministrations. Literally. After every other time when he managed to hold himself together, he began melting.

If he kept melting though, he wouldn't be able to enjoy Jeremy's kisses. Karl reformed himself then, letting Jeremy continue to work as he eased himself into a similar state of bliss that Jeremy had. _God_, it was heavenly.

Jeremy didn’t even just stick to kisses. Clever fingers danced over Karl’s body, heightening everything he was feeling. Even if he was still fully formed physically, Karl was most certainly melting mentally. He basically had a puddle of happy goo where his brain should be.

“Feeling good, honey?” Jeremy murmured after a while of this gentle, blissful treatment.

"Mhmm," Karl managed to get out as he remembered how to make noises and words- though, words are just noises that have meaning to the human mind. "So good... 'M mentally mush."

“Since you’re feeling so good, how about you take off the mask now? I’ll keep doing this as long as you like, and then we can go straight to sleep once we’re done,” Jeremy suggested, his voice a little husky.

He did _not_ want this to stop, even if it meant taking the mask off. He had his time as Karl anyway. "Mhm." Karl barely managed to nod, so blissed out that he didn't even want to move.

“Thank you, honey. Y’so good for me,” Jeremy purred, carefully reaching around and pulling the mask off. He held Michael throughout the transformation back, still pampering him so sweetly to the point he couldn’t think. Michael was so blissed out he didn’t even care where Jeremy moved the mask to.

He didn't care to think or worry or anything except to enjoy this good feeling. Jeremy himself was like magic with his lips and fingers. Michael just let it all happen, whatever Jeremy was doing that made him feel so good.

After who knows how long, Jeremy’s gentle adoration slowed to a stop and he carefully coaxed Michael back to proper consciousness as he connected their lips in a sweet, lazy kiss.

Michael let himself be brought back, sighing softly against Jeremy's slightly chapped lips. He only took a break when Jeremy pulled back, though he initially trailed after his boyfriend's lips. "Mm..."

“How you feeling, Mikey?” Jeremy murmured, capturing his lips once more and staying just as close when he did pull back.

OK, his brain could help him formulate actual words again. "Good," he rasped out. Well, _a_ word.

“That’s good.” The way Jeremy said it made it sound almost like he was praising Michael. It meant that the soft, floaty feeling of bliss he was riding didn’t shift in the slightest. “And do you think you could tell me something? I have a question I need answered.”

"Yeah, I can," Michael managed to get out. Score! He said _words _this time. Plural. Nice.

“Why did you put the mask on today? You promised it would be us-time tonight.” He sounded like he was pouting, and Michael could see that Jeremy’s eyes looked a little sad and confused, but also worried. It sort of snapped away a good portion of the bliss and shame began creeping up his back.

"I-" Michael had to clear his throat as he squirmed a little, looking away for a second. "I just _needed_ to. I didn't plan on staying as Karl as long as I did, I promise. I was just going to do some more stuff around the apartment, then he was going back." After that, Michael cleared his throat and coughed. Going from three-word sentences to double-digit count sentences was killer on his throat right now. Ugh.

“Why, though? What made you need to?” Jeremy clearly didn’t understand.

"I just-" He couldn't _describe_ it. "I just_ needed_ it, just for a little bit."

Understanding slid into Jeremy’s eyes, quickly followed by horror and fear. “You’ve got an addiction,” he mumbled, scooting out of bed and starting to pace. “Shit, I thought our precautions were enough. Or we’d at _least _have a little longer before it got to this...”

What? "I don't have an addiction," Michael assured him as he sat up, watching Jeremy go back and forth. He would_ know_ if he was addicted, and he certainly wasn't. "Jeremy, I'm fine, it's alright."

“What you just told me sort of says otherwise, Michael.” He didn’t stop pacing. “Shit. This is bad.”

"This isn't bad, Jeremy." He scooted over to sit on the edge of the bed, watching Jeremy go to and fro. "This is fine. _I'm_ fine."

“No you’re not!” Jeremy almost snapped. “This... it’s gonna...” He stopped pacing. “Would that work? I mean, it_ might_, considering... could_ I _manage that? The temptation would be hard, but...”

Michael stood up then, going over to Jeremy and carefully placing his arms on his shoulders. He didn't know why he was getting so nervous, but Michael kept that tucked away. "Look, seriously, I _am_ alright. _We're_ alright. Let's just go back to bed, yeah? Like we agreed."

“What, like you agreed no mask tonight?” Jeremy let out a dry, almost hysterical laugh. “This is _too_ important for me to just ‘_go back to bed_,’ I can’t_ lose_ you. Not again.”

"What? You're not going to lose me, Jeremy," Michael assured him as he kept a firm grip on his best friend's shoulders. "Come on-"

Jeremy ripped himself away from Michael, staring at him, his gaze more serious than Michael had ever seen it. “It’s killing you.”

"Killing me? It's not killing me." Michael gestured to himself. "Look at me! Even if I've always been a bit on the heavier side, I'm not in declining health. I'm not dying."

“That’s what it _wants_ you to think, it _always _does that.” Jeremy started pacing again, mumbling to himself. He looked... well, he looked insane, if Michael were honest. “Damnit, I think it’s actually got me too, that’s how I didn’t notice. Shit, this is gonna be harder than I thought.”

"I- Jeremy, you're not making any sense. Please, can't we just talk about this in the morning when we're not so tired and worn-out from the day?" Michael took another step closer to Jeremy, careful now. "Come on-"

“No! It has to be done now or it’ll try to stop me.” Jeremy grabbed Michael’s hands. “Don’t you think it’s weird that of all the places in the world, of every person who could have had it, the mask ended up in a _river_ in New Jersey? Don’t you find that a little strange considering what it lets you do? Or the fact that when you looked, you couldn’t find _anything_ about it online?”

"I mean _yeah_, of course, but it's some ancient mask, right? An ancient, magic mask? Of course it's going to be strange," Michael said as he looked to Jeremy with worry. "But it's fine. Please, just come with me to lie down and cuddle and rest, yeah?" He squeezed Jeremy's hands in what he hoped was an encouraging way.

“No! Not until you’re safe.” Jeremy pulled his hands away, heading over to the bed and pulling the mask out from somewhere random (seriously, how did he do that?). “God, it _has_ gotten to me too. Shit.” His voice was almost a groan, as if it was taking actual effort to just hold the mask and move it to the box. When the lid was shut and the lock closed, Jeremy literally slumped. “Fuck. That’s so much better. Now I can actually think.”

Michael hurried over to Jeremy, wrapping an arm around his shoulder to help him. "Are you alright?" he asked, worry evident. He _was_ worried for Jeremy, especially with how freaked out and exhausted he seemed to be.

“No. Neither of us are. I thought taking the precautions of time limits and breaks would be enough, but it wasn’t.” Jeremy was panting, and he actually let himself be guided to the bed and sat down without a fuss.

He didn't want to argue any further with Jeremy. Instead of trying to get him to understand, Michael just sighed as he pressed a kiss to Jeremy's temple. "How about we just lie down and think, yeah? You're exhausted."

“Not until I’ve had a chance to explain. If I lie down, I’m probably gonna pass out.” That was almost a laugh. “What I was trying to say before is that the mask, it affects your mind. Makes you get this _need_, like an itch in the back of your head that gets worse and worse until it almost hurts. Sound familiar?”

Michael didn't want to admit that it did, but he nodded anyway. He couldn't lie to Jeremy like that, not after everything they've been through and growing up together. Not when he was so worried.

Jeremy grimaced. “That’s because it’s almost alive. It started out as a Viking mask or something, and when someone wore it, it was supposed to make them more mischievous. No special powers, just bringing out a different side of them. But then the_ real_ Loki enchanted it, according to the legend.” He sighed heavily. “It started consuming the wearers who became too dependant on it, taking their energy to power itself up. If you don’t use it too often, or you take breaks, it shouldn’t be too bad and you can keep using it, but if you aren’t careful, it creates an addiction until you just never want to take it off. And when it gets to that point, it takes everything.” Jeremy shivered. “That’s why I was so insistent on taking breaks between uses, and why I’m so worried now. It’s gotten to _both_ of us.”

But he wanted to be Michael still. Yes, Karl was cool, but he couldn't work at the Rink if he was Karl all the time. Michael needed to graduate and use his degree, not Karl. Still, Michael just nodded along to what Jeremy was saying. "But it's not like we never want to take it off. It won't get to that point, not if we're on top of it and each other."

“It’s downhill once the addiction starts. It means it’s already gotten into our heads, which means it can mess with stuff. Even if you don’t want to_ now_, you will soon. Then it’ll be nearly impossible to take it off willingly. I’m not letting that happen. We need to break the addiction.”

Again, he wanted to correct Jeremy. Instead, he asked, "How?"

Jeremy held up the keys to the box. “Two weeks with no mask at all. That should be long enough, and then we can try again _slowly_. But no mask, no magic, nothing.”

Oh. That... He couldn't do that.

"Alright."

Three days later and Michael was almost crawling out of his skin. He _needed _to put the mask on, needed to let Karl out. He had seen him in his dream, begging to be let out, saying how much pain he was in being locked away. Michael couldn’t leave himself like that.

That’s why, at three-oh-two in the morning, he was digging around the desk, searching for the key he _knew_ was supposed to be there. Why wasn’t it there? Where was it? He had to know!

“Mmm-Michael? What’re’ya doin’, hun? It’s-“ Jeremy yawned sleepily. “Three am.”

_Shit_. "Just, uh, looking for something," Michael told him. "Go back to bed, Remy, yeah? I'll be back in bed soon." After a quick run-around as Karl, but he wasn't going to tell Jeremy that. Then he'd worry.

“But I want you back _now_,” Jeremy whined, making grabby hands at Michael. “What’re you looking for? I’ll help so we can get back to snuggling.”

Why did Jeremy have to be so cute and helpful and needy? It was nice normally, but not right now. "I got it. You're gonna just wake up more if you start looking. Cuddle Sandshrew while I'm looking, yeah?" Another drawer and yet no key.

Jeremy sat up, eyes gaining some proper clarity. “You’re looking for the key, aren’t you?” he asked softly, all traces of sleep gone from him in a flash.

Damnit, why was Jeremy so smart and perceptive? "What? No," Michael dismissed, waving a hand in Jeremy's direction as he shut the desk drawer. "Just looking for some stuff I'll need for tomorrow- well, later today- since I need to figure out money stuff."

“Michael, we did finances today. And you don’t have work either. Please, don’t lie to me.”

"I'm-" He needed to do_ something_. "Well-" But he couldn't find the damn key! "Uh-" Do _something_ already!

Michael reached across his desk, grabbing onto the chest that held the mask. Was it bad that he could feel it inside there, more than just the weight? No, probably not. As he grabbed it, he quickly moved back to the door. Maybe if he got a knife from the kitchen, he could break the lock off of the wooden chest.

Jeremy slowly got out of bed, his hands up in surrender. “Hey, it’s okay, Mikey. Just calm down and talk to me, maybe we can work something out.” He didn’t move closer to Michael, and his tone was gentle and understanding. “I know where the key is. I hid it. Do you want me to get it for you?”

If he got it though, Jeremy could have a chance to try something. "Tell me where you hid it," Michael insisted as he took a step back, closer to his bedroom door.

Jeremy reached up and lifted a chain which was around his neck. The keys jingled merrily at the end.

He couldn't help but stare at them, looking between Jeremy and the keys a few times. "Jeremy, can I_ please_ have them?"

Jeremy lifted them off his head and took a step towards Michael, holding them out. When he was just within grabbing distance, Jeremy’s eyes hardened. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” In a smooth motion, Jeremy knocked the box out of Michael’s hands and grabbed him. The keys clattered to the floor. Michael was shoved face down onto the bed, arms pinned behind his back and unable to move. Jeremy put his full weight in holding Michael down.

After the initial shock wore off, Michael thrashed. He shouldn't have done that, he should've just bolted for the kitchen, damnit! "Let me go, Jeremy!" he screamed out as he shifted his face out of the covers, trying his best to even wiggle under Jeremy's strength. For once, he hated how strong Jeremy was. "Let me go let me _go let me go_!"

“No, I won’t. You want out, you’ll have to _fight_ me for it. I’m not letting you destroy yourself!” Jeremy growled, shifting how he was positioned to hold Michael down even better. He could barely wiggle now, let alone thrash.

"_Please_ Jeremy, just let me wear the mask for a minute, then we can go back to bed," Michael begged as he tried to move even a smidge. "Just let me, please! Then it'll stop and I can finally _sleep_."

“I’m not letting you go, Michael.” Jeremy’s voice was calmer but no less commanding. “You are staying here until you’re calm. I’m not letting you go.” Michael had never really been on the receiving side of Jeremy’s SQUIP persona. It was terrifying just how... powerful and dangerous he sounded, even if he wouldn’t hurt Michael.

"Please, Karl is in pain. After I let him out, I'll let him out for a minute and then he goes back. We go back to sleep then and it'll all be fine, I promise," Michael bartered, trying his best to get Jeremy to understand.

“Karl is not in pain, Michael,” Jeremy stated firmly. “Karl is a part of you, not a separate entity. He’s not in any pain, that’s just the mask trying to trick you. You’re fine, he’s fine. Just _breathe_.” Jeremy’s voice turned soothing, calming, and slowly, Michael found that he started to relax a little.

Yeah, Karl was just a part of him, right... But Karl was in pain and he was in pain. It was just his mind telling him that he needed it to stop. "B-but I'm not fine, Jeremy. I need- I_ need_ the mask, please, just for a minute. I can't sleep, it- it _hurts_, Jeremy." He wasn't sure when he started crying, but the tears were starting to muck up his lenses.

“Shh, it’s okay, Michael. I gotcha. It’s okay.” Jeremy shifted again to press a gentle kiss to the back of Michael’s neck. It was a little comforting, but it was also terrifying, like a lion leaning over a gazelle. Or maybe that was just Michael’s messy emotions, since Jeremy wouldn’t ever hurt Michael. He’d literally rather die than hurt Michael, he’d shown that much. “The pain isn’t real, it’s an illusion. It _wants_ you to put it on, wants you to wear it. It’s not good for you, hun. Please, trust me.”

"B-but-" He hiccuped and cut himself off as more tears fell. "It can't be fake, it hurts so much!" It did! His body ached and his eyes were hurting _so_ bad. Michael had been trying to sleep for _hours_! "Jeremy, please._ Please_."

Jeremy shifted again, still pinning Michael but also holding him sweetly. “Shhh, it’s okay. You’re safe. You know me, you know I’d never let you get hurt. It’s not real. Just focus on me, focus on us, not on that.”

"B-but it's so much," he whimpered out, eyes shut. If he opened them, Michael was sure he'd find that he couldn't see anything out of his glasses.

“I know, I know. Focus on me, focus on my voice. I’ve got you, I love you. I wouldn’t let anything hurt you.”

Jeremy wouldn't. They grew up together. They’re best friends. He loved him. Which is why Michael focused his best on him, trying his best through the swelling pain. It was almost hellish, what he was feeling.

Jeremy kept talking, offering gentle reassurance and sweet kisses where he could reach, gently guiding Michael away from the pain and the need.

“That’s right hun, I’ve got you. There you go.” Michael fell limp. “There you are.” Jeremy shifted once again, moving to the side of Michael and pulling him to his chest. Familiar fingers started running through Michael’s hair and Jeremy’s arms, though still restrictive, were comforting.

Michael couldn't even really talk. He felt like if he did, he'd either break down crying in thanks or in apologies. Maybe both. Instead, he just curled up closer to Jeremy, whimpering all the while.

Jeremy’s gentle reassurances didn’t stop until Michael’s whimpers grew less and less intense. Only then did he stop with his gentle words. His gentle touches didn’t stop.

“This isn’t working, is it?” he asked quietly. “We won’t last for two weeks, not like this.”

"I don't know if I'll last until tonight," Michael admitted. "The need, it... it was so bad, Jeremy. It made me think_ you_ were bad by keeping me from the mask." He let out a small sob, but kept himself together otherwise.

“It’s okay, Mikey, it’s not your fault,” Jeremy soothed. “... We need to get rid of it.” Michael automatically stiffened, then thrashed at the idea. Jeremy’s strong arms kept him in place as he calmed down.

"I- but it's- _no_," he argued with himself. "It made me think you were bad. I..." His chest tightened and he felt his whole body flare up in pain as he spoke. "If it thinks you're bad, it's bad. It... it needs to go."

“That’s the cycle. We can’t destroy it either, it’s indestructible. But it’ll kill us... maybe me first, if we don’t get rid of it. It’s been... present in my own head for the last few days,” Jeremy admitted softy, his voice almost scared. If it was scaring Jeremy, then it_ definitely_ had to go.

"I... It needs to go," Michael muttered out, even if he felt bad for whoever could possibly find the mask next. "I just need to put on flip flops and maybe my hoodie."

Jeremy pressed a kiss to Michael’s head. “I’ll carry it to the bridge, then we push it over together.”

"In a bag." If he even saw the chest, he'd probably lose it again. Michael didn't want that.

“Yeah.” Jeremy’s voice cracked. “I don’t think I can handle the box.” He pulled back from Michael, shuffling around for a moment before a gentle hand rested on Michael’s shoulder. “It’s covered. Let’s get this over with, then let’s head to the arcade or something. We... need to de-stress after this...”

Michael nodded in agreement, quickly getting up and toeing his flip flops on. He tugged his hoodie on, making sure his keys and wallet and tokens were in his pocket, before he quickly left the apartment with Jeremy.

The sooner this thing was gone, the better.

The moment Jeremy stepped out of the apartment and into the cool June night, he half crumpled to the ground. His breathing grew harsher and his entire body shook with some unseen force. The only thing that was keeping him standing was Michael’s arms around his waist now.

Worry shook Michael then as he kept his grip tight on Jeremy. "Hey, hey, it's gonna be alright," he reassured Jeremy, looking down at him with concern he couldn't contain.

Jeremy whimpered, but he slowly righted himself. The pain was clear in his expression, and his muscles shook, but he managed to take a step forward. If what he was feeling was even a fraction of what Michael had, Michael was genuinely in awe. Jeremy was so strong.

Michael didn't dare hold Jeremy back as he kept the pace Jeremy formed. It was slower than normal, but it thankfully wasn't a long walk to the bridge he walked every day. "Here," Michael said, pointing right to the spot as it came into view. "That was where I found it. It was sticking out past the water, like the tide pushed it in."

Jeremy nodded. “It needs to go into the water. So it’ll be taken away.” His voice was shaking and cracking all over the place, but he was speaking. He walked over to the bridge edge, putting the bag up onto the barrier.

Out of nowhere, Jeremy began shaking and Michael could see in dim glow from the streetlights that his pupils were blown wide. His eyes were wide, unseeing, and he scrambled at his neck, exactly where the keys would have been hanging.

They were in Michael’s back pocket. He had learned some small tricks from Jeremy over the past half a year, and deft tricks like this was included. Michael wasn't going to say that though.

"Jeremy, no." Michael took Jeremy's hands, quickly lacing their fingers together. "We're getting rid of it, remember?"

“But I _need_ it,” Jeremy whimpered, still scrabbling. He could make out some faint, red lines where his nails were softly scratching Michael’s skin. “I can’t, I _can’t_.”

"Yes you can," Michael promised him. "It's_ hurting_ you. It's hurting _me_. Do you want it to keep hurting us, Jeremy?" Even saying this was exhausting, but this was for them. They _both_ needed to move on. This mask would kill them otherwise.

Jeremy’s whimper was louder this time. “No, I don’t want you hurting.” He made no mention of himself. He stopped scratching, but still didn’t manage to focus in on reality again. “Help me, I can’t let it hurt you.”

"I will because I can't let it hurt you or us." Michael gently squeezed Jeremy's hands to try to slowly ground him. "It's not just me it's hurting, it's hurting you too."

Jeremy shook his head. “Don’t care. But it can’t hurt you.”

"You need to care. _I _care about you, so you should care about yourself." It was dirty, but... "If you hurt, I hurt. You care about me, right?" Jeremy quickly nodded. "Then you need to care about yourself too."

Jeremy nodded slowly. Then, even slower, his hand tightened in Michael’s and he actually held on rather than just being held. Jeremy’s eyes gained a level of clarity as he forced them to focus on Michael.

“Okay. I-... okay.” The pained, scared tone in his voice, and the place they were both standing, brought back memories of another painful night. But Jeremy was here. He was safe and Michael was going to keep things that way. The thought strengthened his resolve, even if the tug of the mask was still there.

"Each of us is going to push one side of the bag over the ledge, yeah?" Michael quickly reached into his back pocket, tugging out the keys for the chest and dropping them into the bag. Jeremy just nodded.

"You ready, Remy?"

Jeremy nodded mutely, squeezing Michael’s hand and closing his eyes as his other hand pressed against the bag lightly.

Michael couldn't shut his eyes. He _needed_ to see it go away.

Over he reached, pushing the bag with Jeremy. It tipped over the ledge, the chest spilling out of the reusable Target bag worn from years of use.

Seeing it tumble out set off something in Michael, and he tried to reach over the ledge to grab it as it fell.

Jeremy's hand kept him from reaching it as it slipped out of his grasp, splashing in the water below as the bag danced away in the breeze. The key _plunk_ed in after the chest.

As soon as the key landed in the water, Jeremy’s legs gave out under him. He fell to his knees, accidentally tugging Michael down with him.

Michael felt the tears slide down his face as his butt lamely landed on the bridge. "It's gone... It's gone, but why do I feel so bad?"

Jeremy scooted closer, plopping onto his ass next to Michael and curling up next to him, never once letting go of his hand. “Crash after the high.” He sounded more coherent at least, and less in pain, but still really upset.

"God, this is going to be a_ bad_ crash then," Michael managed to get out as he flopped his head against Jeremy's shoulder. "I'm gonna have to email my professors to let them know I'm not coming in today. I _can't_ go to class."

“I’ll message Dr. Cole, she can get you a note to make it an excused absence,” Jeremy mumbled. “I feel really empty and sad right now. And scared. I feel really, really scared and exposed in a way I don’t think I’ve ever felt.”

"I feel like part of me just got ripped up in front of me and utterly decimated. A lot of other parts of me too," Michael admitted. "That's not even everything I feel. I just..." He didn't know what to say, so he tried to vocalize it with sound and hand movements. It sounded weird, but he was weird. Jeremy would get what he meant.

“Yeah, I feel the same.” He nodded, leaning against Michael’s head. “But y’know. It’s not gone, that part of you. Karl’s still right here.” Jeremy clumsily (but still so gently) poked Michael’s chest. “Always has been.”

He hummed in understanding before he took Jeremy’s free hand and held it too. “Then you know that it’s the same with you and Remy, right Remy?”

“Easily,” Jeremy assured him. “I love you, Mikey.”

"I love you too, Remy." He shifted a bit and felt he had enough strength to make it. "Think you're still up for the Rink's arcade? I think I have at least two hundred tokens saved up."

“... Yeah. We need to finish our collections after all,” Jeremy mumbled, pressing a kiss to the top of Michael’s head. “You just need one more, and I need two.”

"I love how we have separate collections instead of combining them. We're stupid," Michael said around strained laughter.

“I started mine when we weren’t living together,” Jeremy protested with what sounded like a pout. “They were the ‘cool things I got with Michael’ so I wanted my own set.”

"We- god, you're such a fucking nerd." He wiggled a little then. "We need to untangle ourselves so we can be stupid as fuck nerds together.

“You promise we can do that together?”

"What, untangle ourselves or be stupid as fuck nerds?"

“The second one, asshole,” Jeremy grumbled, pulling away from Michael and helping him stand on shaky feet.

"I'm just making sure, I'm still feeling gross and it's only getting worse," Michael defended as he stood with Jeremy. "And yes, if you'll have me."

Jeremy huffed out a laugh. “Yes I will. Forever, if you’ll take me.”

"Forever and always, my dude." Ignoring Jeremy's groans, Michael grinned wearily down at Jeremy as he walked along with Jeremy.

He still held Jeremy's hand since they never let go.


	13. Dog Days Are Just Starting (EPILOGUE)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Ari here!
> 
> This chapter is our nice epilogue. See how our boys’ lives have improved. They deserve what they get, honestly. 
> 
> Also can’t believe this story is over. Hope you guys liked this unique one!
> 
> And now, a few words from Mara:
> 
> ‘Hey lovelies! Sorry about the late post, that's on me. Anyways, we're finally finished! The boys get a happy ending! Take a gander and their lives a year later, and also take a moment to apreciate the dogs. They're based on my childhood dogs. Enjoy!’

Michael knew he was a nice boyfriend. To celebrate their one-year anniversary, Michael planned to pick Jeremy up from work and take him to Jeremy's penthouse for his good ol' tacos. They'd cuddle, stuff their faces, and try to beat Level Thirteen of Apocalypse of the Damned until they got too frustrated or annoyed. Then they'd kiss and pass out in bed.

If it went differently, that was fine, but that was the game plan.

He waved to Kendra, the front-desk attendant, as he entered the shelter. The little bell rang on the door, and a few dogs started to react. The cats in the cat room just stared at him as he walked by, waving. Chester watched him go, unblinking, like he always did from the top of the tallest cat tower. Was he trying to always assert his dominance or did he really like Michael after he got him catnip one time?

Michael shook off the thought that he may have inadvertently became the ‘nip dealer to said cat as he headed into the play room. The dogs in there didn’t have any issues, so guests and potential owners could go in and just spend time with them. Michael knew it was Jeremy’s favorite room in the shelter, and he would almost always be found in there near the end of his shift.

As expected, Jeremy _was_ in the playroom. He was talking to a couple, chattering in rapid-fire Japanese and gesturing the Japanese Spitz puppy playing with the little boy on the floor (her name was Suki, and she was an absolute dream). Jeremy had a Jack Russell in his arms who looked very happy to be carried.

Just as the couple finished chatting with Jeremy, the poor dog in his arms decided to empty its stomach the wrong way all over Jeremy’s shirt. He blinked in surprise, his nose scrunching up as he set the dog down and pulled the shirt off carefully.

He still had a lot of scars, but they were fading slowly.

Before Michael could announce his presence, another child who was in the playroom gasped. Jeremy's attention shifted to the little girl that was staring in awe at him. The couple and the little boy left the room with Suki, who waved to Michael as he moved out of the way for them. "Woah, those scars are_ so_ cool! They look like what a superhero would have!" She gasped then, looking very seriously up at Jeremy. "Are... are you a superhero? Like Batman?"

Jeremy face went from confused to torn to a small smile. “Maybe I am, but I couldn’t tell if I was, could I? I mean, I _did _get some of these protecting someone.” His cheeks were a little red as he squatted down next to the little girl.

"So you_ are_ like Batman," the little girl gasped as she stared up at Jeremy with awe now. "Do you have, like, a Robin? Or an Alfred? Oh, do you have a Batmobile or a utility belt? Have you fought any villains?" Now she was bouncing so adorably on the balls of her feet!

For a moment, Jeremy spluttered as he got all flustered. Batman was Jeremy’s favorite hero, so his reaction was even cuter. Then Jeremy giggled. “I don’t have a Robin, but I do have a boyfriend who’s like my superhero partner. He helped me a lot and I help him, we’re a team. And I don’t have a Batmobile or a utility belt, but I can do a lot of cool crime fighting stuff.” He glanced around, finding the ground around him clear of dogs. “Watch this.” He took a step back and did a backflip, crouching down next to the girl again once he landed.

This little girl was now losing her_ shit_. Her hands were flapping in front of her as she bounced in place. All the excitement caused the few dogs in the room to come over (except for one dog that seemed to like Michael, he stayed right near him and kept nudging his hand, and he pet the dog as said dog just nuzzled against his side). "Oh. My. God! I don't care if 'oh my god' is a bad phrase, you're a whole hecking superhero! Aaah!"

“So are you,” Jeremy said seriously.

“Wha-?”

“You helped me just now. I get nervous when people see my scars because sometimes people make fun of them. You just made me feel really good, so you helped me which means you must be a superhero too.” He grinned.

"How can people make fun of you? They're so cool! Those people are rude and mean and stupid," the little girl declared before gasping. "Wait, if I'm a superhero 'cause you said I am, does that make me, like, Robin? I _love _Robin!"

“I think it just might.” Jeremy was beaming now, his cheeks all rosy and his eyes practically sparkling. “After all, Robin helps Batman, right?”

"Oh my god, _yes_!" She squealed, and some of the dogs howled along with her. Michael had to keep himself from ruining the scene by laughing. Thankfully, he was able to keep himself composed (somehow).

“Well, thanks for your help, Robin.” Jeremy nodded over to where the little girl’s mom was waiting with their new little black Labrador puppy. “And I think your mom has gotten you a Batdog, so make sure to take good care of him. And keep being a hero and being nice to people, okay? Then you’ll _always _be a superhero.”

"Yeah, of course." She nodded a lot as she beamed up at Jeremy. "Bye bye, Batman!" After waving, she ran through the crowd of dogs around her and hurried over to her mom and new puppy.

Jeremy sighed happily as he stood up before scooping up his puked on shirt with a grimace. He turned to head to the staff room, presumably to get it washed.

Before he could make it over, Michael walked behind him (the dog that liked Michael stayed by his side, walking silently with no audible tips or taps) and wrapped his arms around Jeremy's waist. "Hi," he whispered as he latched onto Jeremy.

Jeremy squeaked and jumped before relaxing in Michael’s grip. “I think that’s the first time you’ve ever managed to sneak up on me. Hi.” He turned his head and captured Michael’s lips in a gentle, quick kiss.

"One gets better with practice, I guess," Michael guesstimated as he pulled back, resting his head on Jeremy's shoulder. "So, I'm not your Boy Wonder?"

Michael didn’t even have to look to know Jeremy’s cheeks lit up in a dark blush; he could feel it. “So you saw that, huh? She was a sweet kid.” Jeremy leaned back even more into Michael’s hold. “And no, you’re not my sidekick. You’re a fully fledged superhero in your own right.”

"I could _still_ be called Boy Wonder by you, though," he muttered against Jeremy's bare shoulder, pouting playfully all the while.

“Someone’s feeling needy.” Jeremy giggled, pressing a kiss where he could easily reach. “But I _guess_ some would say you’re pretty wonderful. That someone being me. And Rich, because that boy has adopted you somehow even if he’s a few months younger.”

"Rich is my weird honorary mom. Ina and Mama said he keeps them updated on my well-being. It's weird and unorthodox, but... eh." Michael shrugged as he held Jeremy a little closer. "Also, this dog has been by my side since I came in. I think this dog likes me and I want them right now but our apartment is stupid with it's 'no pets' policy."

Jeremy peered down before he grinned. “Hey Rusty, how’re you?” he asked, reaching down to stroke him and the dog, presumably Rusty, smiled up at him and wagged his tail. As in he actually smiled. His teeth were massive, dear god. “Rusty is one of my favorite dogs here since he’s such a love muffin. He walks around with me and sometimes he even naps with me on bad days,” Jeremy explained. “He’s just big, older than the average adoption age, and his teeth are a little intimidating, otherwise he’d be taken home in a heartbeat.”

“Aww, now I want him to be our furry baby even more, Jeremy!” he whined as he clung to Jeremy even tighter.

Jeremy hummed mischievously. “Well he _could_ be.”

“Jeremy, I refuse to let you buy the apartment complex so you can change the rules.”

“No, it’s not that.” Jeremy laughed. “Listen, I’m gonna get changed and put this to wash. You get comfy with Rusty, then I’ll explain, yeah?”

Michael pouted but didn’t refuse. He let Jeremy go and waved him off before plopping down, letting Rusty lie across his lap. He was putty in Rusty’s adorable paws. “Hi there, Rusty.”

Rusty got himself comfortable, smiling up at Michael before leaning his head against Michael’s stomach. Despite the fact he was a big dog, he seemed as cute and small as a puppy. Michael was certain this was meant to be, he was in love with this dog. Damnit, Michael wasn’t sure he could leave this dog. He’d just have to move to the shelter.

He was figuring out where his bed would be in the playroom (he could use the dog beds in here as one big bed) when he saw Jeremy coming back over. Michael waved from where he was now lying on the floor. “Hi.”

“Hi, hun. I see Rusty has successfully stolen your heart.” He chuckled, sitting down next to Michael and looking around. “It’s weird, normally Rusty isn’t left alone this long. Where’s-“ Jeremy got nudged from behind by a dog who looked similar to Rusty but was slightly pointer and skinnier. “Oh, there you are Floyd. Hello my good boy, come here.” Jeremy wrapped his arms around the dog and pulled him onto his lap. Floyd put up no resistance, tail thumping the floor loudly. “They’ve been best friends since Floyd arrived here about a year ago. He never really leaves Rusty’s side for more than a few minutes if he can help it.”

“Now I want them both if they’re a package deal,” Michael whined as he just loosely held Rusty in his arms. “Jeremy, I think I’m going to move in since the apartment doesn’t allow dogs. They will be mine and I will become one with the dogs when I’m not at work or school. I’m sorry things had to be this way, but that’s life.”

“You don’t have to move into the shelter.” Jeremy laughed. “We can just adopt them! Both of them since I couldn’t bear to separate these two.”

“Jeremy, the light of my life, my best friend in this hellscape we call life, we can’t. Apartment rules.”

“Well who said we need to stay at the apartment? We have a house with a garden big enough for both.”

“What? No we d- Jeremy Heere, did you buy a house at some point and not tell me?”

Jeremy beamed even as his cheeks began to color. “Maybe.” He occupied his hands from fiddling by giving Floyd lots of cuddles.

“When? Where? What? Who? Why?” Michael asked as he pet Rusty’s head, still not fully comprehending what Jeremy just told him.

“You know Haden and Penelope’s house? We’re about ten blocks from there. I wasn’t planning on telling you for a while, since I didn’t want you to feel pressured or anything. But if you want the dogs, we have a place we can live with them.”

“Jeremy! You should have told me,” he whined as Rusty flopped against his chest and nuzzled against it. “Well, we can't just move, especially if we’re still paying part of the rent and bills.”

Jeremy’s blush darkened. “I might have already sorted that out for the rest of the semester. For the whole apartment.” He ducked his head. “No more bills or rent, it’s been paid outright. And any extra charges go to my account.”

That was a big deal. Ever since the end of the SQUIPs, Jeremy has been nervous that others would think he was trying to buy their trust or even a person over. Michael stared at Jeremy as he slowly sat up, Rusty slowly sliding to rest in Michael’s lap. “Thank you, Jeremy.”

Jeremy’s ears were a dark red, and he kept his head slightly down. The position wasn’t submissive anymore, more just embarrassed. He was grinning. “And, er, I might have also paid off student loans. For everyone, not just you. Brooke and Chrissy are both free too, and Rich’s personal loan is also gone.”

“Oh my god Jeremy, you’re the best. What am I gonna do with my money I got from helping Derek out now?”

“Maybe revamp your Cruiser? Or buy yourself some arcade machines for the game room? Or spoil the heck out of our two fluffy sons?” Jeremy suggested.

“I mean... yeah- wait, the house has enough room for a game room?” Everything started to hit Michael then as he started rapid-firing questions about the house. “-and wait, when would we move in? I have classes next week, and you can’t move everything in a weekend. I have to figure out a new route to school too then-“

“We can move in whenever, we own it. I made sure to put it in your name as well. I bought it outright, so no mortgage either. And I’ve already checked a route for school and for work for both of us. So we’re set for whenever you want. And it’s fully furnished already, so we could move it and move our stuff across as we like.” Just liked that, Jeremy addressed every worry and fixed it. “Also it has four bedrooms, so I converted one to a game room and one to a study. And we have an en-suite in the master bedroom with a big tub, so we can both fit in easily.”

“Holy shit Jeremy, that’s amazing.” It really was. “When do you think we can get these dogs and move in?” This was a lot, so Michael was trying to digest it piece by piece.

“I can have them in the house by next week. And we can even go to crash there tonight if you like, start the moving process.”

“I mean, we need to stop by the apartment first. I had a plan to celebrate our one year anniversary, but we can celebrate it in the new house,” Michael suggested as he pressed a kiss to the top of Rusty’s head.

“You planned something?” Jeremy’s soft look just about melted Michael on the spot. “I mean, I kinda have something planned for you too, but we can do it just about anywhere.” He looked between the dogs, then up to Michael. “Would you say this is a pretty peaceful moment? I think it is...”

“Yeah, I have a whole night planned.” Michael looked around and then back at Jeremy. “I’d say this is pretty peaceful. Just us and our future dogs in a doggy playroom.”

“Well, peaceful moments like this are pretty special,” Jeremy continued. ‘Would you say it’s special enough for a proposal?” He pulled a ring seemingly out of nowhere. It was relatively simple, just a nice silver band with a small pixelated heart made out of red jewels, surrounded by emeralds. Michael knew Jeremy would have had it made to last too, so even if it was expensive (it looked it!), it wouldn’t get damaged easily.

Michael stared in awe at the ring, and he realized that he hadn’t given Jeremy an answer yet. “It’s special enough for me to say ‘yes,’ so I’d think so.”

Jeremy took Michael’s free hand (which just so happened to be the correct hand for the ring) and slid the ring on. It fit perfectly. “Marry me?” Jeremy asked softly, pressing a kiss to Michael’s knuckles.

“Yes, of course,” Michael whispered, leaning forward to gently capture Jeremy’s lips in a lingering kiss.

Jeremy practically melted against Michael’s lips, humming happily as he coaxed them to move together. For a moment, they just sweetly indulged in each other before pulling away. Rusty and Floyd both ‘boof’ed happily a moment later, and Floyd licked Jeremy’s cheek, catching the happy tears before they fell properly. Jeremy giggled and kept stroking Floyd.

Michael pulled back as he laughed, resting his forehead against Jeremy’s as he reached down to pet Rusty in his lap. “I... I mean, I knew it would happen, and we’ve known each other our whole lives, but oh my god.”

“I know,” Jeremy murmured in agreement. “I’m glad I found you again. I’m glad you found me. I’m so fucking happy being with you, and I want to be with you forever.”

“I mean, remember that contract you had me sign when we were seven that we would live together in a house with lots of dogs and maybe a ferret one day?”

“Yeah.” Jeremy sighed happily. “Well we have two dogs now, or we will by next week. And the ferret can come later. But we have a house, and it’s big enough for us all. And well... can you handle a couple more surprises today?”

“It depends, are they good or bad?”

“Good, I promise.”

“OK, then I think I can take ‘em.”

“Well firstly, your moms are moving to the same neighborhood, just about half an hour away. They’re gonna be close enough to visit whenever. And Brooke and Chrissy are looking for one as well, which I’ve offered to buy them so they can stick close. Jake lives about ten minutes away, and he’s asking Rich to move in with him once you all leave the apartment.”

“I thought you were going to space all of those out, holy shit, but that’s amazing!” Rusty barked along with him in obvious excitement. “Yeah, I know, bud!”

“That’s the _first_ surprise, hun. That our family is gonna stay a family.” Jeremy giggled, kissing Michael’s nose.

“That’s more than one surprise. Those were multiple things you told me involving a different party each time,” Michael corrected as he couldn’t help but grin at Jeremy, even if he wanted to playfully pout.

Jeremy groaned playfully, rolling his eyes, before kissing Michael’s nose again. “Well you ready for the second category?”

“Is there as much stuff in it as there was in the first?”

“Nope.” Jeremy grinned. “Jake has found a little girl he wants to adopt. Her name is Ava, and she’s a little angel. And Jake wants to know if we want to be her godfathers.”

“That’s such big news, holy shit! I would love to, oh my god, but does Rich know? Is Rich alright with that? Do they-“

“Rich pretty much insisted that Ava be our goddaughter. He’s gonna go see her tonight for the first time but we have an invitation in two days to go meet her ourselves.” Jeremy kissed Michael’s lips quickly. “So we get to have kids around without having kids.”

“That’s amazing. I’m gonna spoil her rotten and make Ava love Rich more than me,” he joked before pressing a quick kiss back to Jeremy.

“Well, that’s all my surprises.” Jeremy reached over, twisting the ring on Michael’s finger. “Ready to go home?”

“Mm, I don’t wanna leave our fuzzy babies,” Michael whined as Rusty rested his head on Michael’s shoulder. “See! He doesn’t want me to go either!”

“Rusty is a cuddle bug, he never wants anyone to go.” Jeremy chuckled. “But think of it this way: on our way out, we can stop at the front desk and start the adoption process. Then he and Floyd can come home with us together in a week’s time.”

“Mm... fine.” Michael reluctantly pulled away from Rusty, giving him lots of snout kisses before getting up. “Bye bye, babies. I’ll see you soon.”

Jeremy stood with him, taking his hand and squeezing it. “They’ll be coming home with us soon enough,” Jeremy promised. “Ready to go and have a great anniversary? I know you’ve got something _amazing_ planned, as always.”

Michael tore his gaze from the dogs to focus solely on Jeremy. He couldn’t help but smile as he interlocked their fingers. “I’m ready, but I don’t know if _you’re_ ready,” he teased, bringing Jeremy’s hand up to kiss.

After waving goodbye to the dogs as another worker came in, he couldn’t help but stare fondly down at Jeremy. Somehow, he got lucky and he found Jeremy. Even as Jeremy talked to Kendra at the front desk, who reassured them that she’d sort the papers out for them, he couldn’t believe it.

Only when Jeremy kissed him on the way out of the shelter did he start to believe it. They worked hard for this, and he wasn’t going to let either of their hard work go to waste.

“Oh, no, I know I am too, Mikey. Don’t worry about me.”

“Alright, Remy. I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.”


End file.
